On October 3, UE hosted a delegation from the Belgian trade union FGTB. UE Secretary-Treasurer Andrew Dinkelaker and members of UE Local 667 joined the Belgian trade unionists at an Oktoberfest event in Pittsburgh, which raised money for Palestinians.
The Belgian union delegation, members of the Belgian FGTB, was on a three-city tour (Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, and Chicago) to meet union leaders and other activists to discuss how they are fighting the far-right and fascism.
During the Belgians’ visit, Dinkelaker gave a brief overview of UE’s history and rank-and-file structure. The Local 667 members spoke about their local’s ongoing campaign to boycott Israeli products at the East End Food Coop, where they work. The FGTB is a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause.
The delegation was also visiting Pittsburgh because of its rich labor history and the historical connection between the Pittsburgh area and their union. In the 19th century, Belgian trade unionists from the glass industry (the FGTB represents, among other sectors, workers in the glass industry) fled Belgium because they were being persecuted by the anti-worker governments of the time. They settled in the Pittsburgh area, where they established a community of glassworkers.