United Auto Workers (UAW) becomes first major US trade union to vote to divest from Israel Bonds

In a historic move on June 18, 2026, the United Auto Workers (UAW) became the first major U.S. trade union to vote for full divestment from Israel bonds. Delegates at the 39th UAW Constitutional Convention amended Article 7, Section 2 of their constitution to state: "No UAW funds shall be invested in Israel bonds." This decision, rooted in a long history of international solidarity within the UAW, was driven by rank-and-file members who forced the amendment to a vote after leadership attempted to exclude it from the agenda. The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement welcomed the vote as an act of solidarity with the Palestinian people, asserting that Israel bonds directly fund "Israel’s regime of genocide, apartheid and settler-colonialism." This UAW action is part of a broader national trend, including significant divestment by the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System.