Launch UNISON Scottish Council 3Rd February 2018

Launch UNISON Scottish Council 3rd February 2018

Each council in Scotland is allocated to one of the 11 pension fund administrators. Below you will find a list of the allocation of councils to pension funds and the contact details for each pension fund.

Each pension fund has a committee and a board. The committee is a formal committee of the administering council and has the ultimate decision making power over the fund. The board is made up of employer representatives from other employers in the scheme and crucially pension fund member representatives – usually union reps such as James Corry and Stephen Kelly on behalf of UNISON in the Strathclyde Pension Fund. The board is more a consultative forum.

What we are asking you to do:

1. We are asking every branch to send a letter to the chairs of the pension fund committee, the board and Leader of the Council for your area calling on the fund to divest from a target company that is complicit in supporting Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. Model letters are attached. It is important you send the model letter for the relevant fund as different companies are being targeted in different funds. For local government branches it is clear who you should write to. For other branches we would ask that you target the fund where your branch office or correspondence address is based. Wherever possible please alert UNISON and other union representatives on the relevant pension board that you have sent the attached model letters. These will be emailed out to branches along with the Time to Divest publication we are launching at Scottish Council today.

If you can personalise the letter and put it on branch headed paper then great, if not cut and paste the attached.

1. Please encourage members and their families to join the campaign too. Individuals should be given the Time to Divest pamphlet and directed to the website which makes it really easy for people to contact their own councillors.

Please keep us posted on how you get on.

In time we will ask you to write further letters focussing on different companies and we hope to roll out the campaign to other pension funds such as those in higher education.

Many, many thanks.

Allocation of the 32 Councils to the LG Funds

Model Letter to:

• Chair, Falkirk Pension Fund Committee
• Chair, Falkirk Pension Fund Board
• Leader of the Council

Dear ………………………

Falkirk Pension Fund (Administering Authority: Falkirk Council)
Investments in Bank Hapoalim

We write to draw your attention to the involvement of Bank Hapoalim in Israel’s illegal military occupation of Palestine and violation of Palestinian rights, which we believe contravenes our responsible investment policy. We therefore ask that Falkirk Pension Fund (FPF) take immediate steps to divest from Bank Hapoalim.

According to ‘Who Profits’, an Israeli research centre dedicated to exposing the commercial involvement of Israeli and international companies in the continued Israeli control over Palestinian land, Bank Hapoalim complicity includes:

• Provision of financing for construction in Israeli settlements and acting as guarantor to major contractors and construction companies who build in Occupied Palestine;
• Financing the Jerusalem light rail project, designed to connect the illegal settlements with Jerusalem;
• Providing mortgages for settlers and loans to local authorities of settlements;
• Operation of branches in illegal settlements: Ariel, Beitar Illit, Modi'in Illit, Ma'ale Adumim, Pisgat Ze'ev, Gilo and Ramot.

The Who Profits report can be read online here:

Since the Bank Hapoalim’s involvement in Israel’s occupation has long been a concern to human rights campaigners we expect that FPF’s specialist responsible investment monitor Pensions & Investment Research Consultants Ltd (PIRC) will be able to confirm the basis of our concerns.

We look forward to hearing from you about the steps you will take to:

• seek a report from PIRC regarding the full extent of Bank Hapoalim’s complicity with Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian Territories;
• confirm that indeed such activities are not compatible with Falkirk Pension Fund’s stated responsible investment policy;
• confirm when Bank Hapoalim will be excluded from Falkirk Pension Fund until such time as they cease their work to facilitate Israel’s military occupation of Palestinian Territories.

Yours sincerely

Model Letter to:

• Chair, Fife Pension Fund Committee
• Chair, Fife Pension Fund Board
• Leader of Fife Council

Dear ………………………

Fife Pension Fund (Administering Authority: Fife Council)
Investments in General Electric

We write to draw your attention to the involvement of General Electric in Israel’s illegal military occupation of Palestine and violation of Palestinian rights, which we believe contravenes our responsible investment policy. We therefore ask that Fife Pension Fund (FPF) take immediate steps to divest from General Electric.

According to research by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a Quaker organisation, General Electric complicity in Israel’s occupation includes:

• GE engines used in Israel’s primary air and naval military platforms, including T700-GE-700 engines in the UH-60 Black Hawk, T700-GE-701 engines for Boeing A-64 Apache helicopters, and the CH-53D/E engine in the CH-53 Heavy Lift helicopter;
• A GE LM2500 gas turbine used in Israel’s naval missile ship, the Sa’ar 5 (used to enforce Israel’s siege of Gaza);

The AFSC report can be read online here:

Since the General Electric’s involvement in Israel’s occupation has long been a concern to human rights campaigners we expect that FPF’s specialist responsible investment monitor Hermes Equity Ownership Services (HEOS) will be able to confirm the basis of our concerns.

We look forward to hearing from you about the steps you will take to:

• seek a report from HEOS regarding the full extent of General Electric work with Israel’s military;
• confirm that indeed such activities are not compatible with Fife Pension Fund’s stated responsible investment policy;
• confirm when General Electric will be excluded from Fife Pension Fund until such time as they cease their work to facilitate Israel’s military occupation of Palestinian Territories.

Yours sincerely

Model Letter to:

• Chair, North East Scotland Pension Fund Committee
• Chair, North East Scotland Pension Fund Board
• Leader of the Council

Dear ………………………

North East Scotland Pension Fund
(Administering Authority: Aberdeen City Council)
Investments in General Electric

We write to draw your attention to the involvement of General Electric in Israel’s illegal military occupation of Palestine and violation of Palestinian rights, which we believe contravenes our responsible investment policy. We therefore ask that North East Scotland Pension Fund (NESPF) take immediate steps to divest from General Electric.

According to research by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a Quaker organisation, General Electric complicity in Israel’s occupation includes:

• GE engines used in Israel’s primary air and naval military platforms, including T700-GE-700 engines in the UH-60 Black Hawk, T700-GE-701 engines for Boeing A-64 Apache helicopters, and the CH-53D/E engine in the CH-53 Heavy Lift helicopter;
• A GE LM2500 gas turbine used in Israel’s naval missile ship, the Sa’ar 5 (used to enforce Israel’s siege of Gaza);

The AFSC report can be read online here:

We look forward to hearing from you about the steps you will take to:

• report detailing the full extent of General Electric work with Israel’s military;
• confirm that indeed such activities are not compatible with NESPF’s stated responsible investment policy;
• confirm when General Electric will be excluded from NESPF until such time as they cease their work to facilitate Israel’s military occupation of Palestinian Territories.

Yours sincerely

Model Letter to:

• Chair, Shetland Islands Pension Fund Committee
• Chair, Shetland Islands Pension Fund Board
• Leader of the Council

Dear ………………………

Shetland Islands Pension Fund
(Administering Authority: Shetland Islands Council)
Investments in Israel’s occupation

We write to draw your attention to our concern that Shetland Islands Pension Fund may be investing in companies involved in Israel’s illegal military occupation of Palestine and violation of Palestinian rights, which we believe would contravene our responsible investment policy. We therefore ask that Shetland Islands Pension Fund (SIPF) take immediate steps to investigate our current investments.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is currently compiling a database of all business enterprises involved in Israel’s illegal occupation and settlement building on Palestinian land. There is growing concern about the activities of these companies:

“Businesses play a central role in furthering the establishment, maintenance and expansion of Israeli settlements. They are involved in constructing and financing settlement homes and supporting infrastructure, providing services to the settlements, and operating out of them. In doing so, they are contributing to Israel’s confiscation of land, facilitate the transfer of its population into the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and are involved in the exploitation of Palestine’s natural resources.”

We look forward to hearing from you with information:

• Listing any direct investments of the SI Pension Fund;
• Listing the full holdings of any pooled funds held by SIPF;
• Confirm that you would not consider such activities by businesses to be compatible with SIPF stated responsible investment policy.

Yours sincerely

Model Letter to:

• Chair, Orkney Pension Fund Committee
• Chair, Orkney Pension Fund Board
• Leader of the Council

Dear ………………………

Orkney Pension Fund
(Administering Authority: Orkney Council)
Investments in Israel’s occupation

We write to draw your attention to our concern that Orkney Pension Fund may be investing in companies involved in Israel’s illegal military occupation of Palestine and violation of Palestinian rights, which we believe would contravene our responsible investment policy. We therefore ask that Orkney Pension Fund (OPF) take immediate steps to investigate our current investments.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is currently compiling a database of all business enterprises involved in Israel’s illegal occupation and settlement building on Palestinian land. There is growing concern about the activities of these companies:

“Businesses play a central role in furthering the establishment, maintenance and expansion of Israeli settlements. They are involved in constructing and financing settlement homes and supporting infrastructure, providing services to the settlements, and operating out of them. In doing so, they are contributing to Israel’s confiscation of land, facilitate the transfer of its population into the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and are involved in the exploitation of Palestine’s natural resources.”

We look forward to hearing from you with information:

• Listing any direct investments of the Orkney Pension Fund;
• Listing the full holdings of any pooled funds held by OPF;
• Confirm that you would not consider such activities by businesses to be compatible with OPF stated responsible investment policy.

Yours sincerely

Model Letter to:

• Chair, Highland Pension Fund Committee
• Chair, Highland Pension Fund Board
• Leader of the Council

Dear ………………………

Highland Pension Fund (Administering Authority: Highland Council)
Investments in General Dynamics

We write to draw your attention to the involvement of General Dynamics in Israel’s illegal military occupation of Palestine and violation of Palestinian rights, which we believe contravenes our responsible investment policy. We therefore ask that Highland Pension Fund (HPF) take immediate steps to divest from General Dynamics.

According to research by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a Quaker organisation, General Dynamics complicity in Israel’s occupation includes:

• Provides Israeli military with weapons systems and munitions - including artillery shells, bombs and gun systems for F-16 jets;
• Manufactures (with Boeing) radar arrays for the F-15 fighter jet and gun systems for the new F-35 fighter jet;
• Supplied Israel with armour and parts for Bradley Fighting Vehicles and, since 2011, manufactures Israel’s newest Namer armoured personnel carriers for the military.

The AFSC report can be read online here:

We look forward to hearing from you about the steps you will take to:

• report detailing the full extent of General Dynamics work with Israel’s military;
• confirm that indeed such activities are not compatible with HPF’s stated responsible investment policy;
• confirm when General Dynamics will be excluded from HPF until such time as they cease their work to facilitate Israel’s military occupation of Palestinian Territories.

Yours sincerely

Model Letter to:

• Chair, Tayside Pension Fund Committee
• Chair, Tayside Pension Fund Board
• Leader of the Council

Dear ………………………

Tayside Pension Fund (Administering Authority: Dundee Council)
Investments in Bank Hapoalim

We write to draw your attention to the involvement of Bank Hapoalim in Israel’s illegal military occupation of Palestine and violation of Palestinian rights, which we believe contravenes our responsible investment policy. We therefore ask that Tayside Pension Fund (TPF) take immediate steps to divest from Bank Hapoalim.

According to ‘Who Profits’, an Israeli research centre dedicated to exposing the commercial involvement of Israeli and international companies in the continued Israeli control over Palestinian land, Bank Hapoalim complicity includes:

• Provision of financing for construction in Israeli settlements and acting as guarantor to major contractors and construction companies who build in Occupied Palestine;
• Financing the Jerusalem light rail project, designed to connect the illegal settlements with Jerusalem;
• Providing mortgages for settlers and loans to local authorities of settlements;
• Operation of branches in illegal settlements: Ariel, Beitar Illit, Modi'in Illit, Ma'ale Adumim, Pisgat Ze'ev, Gilo and Ramot.

The Who Profits report can be read online here:

Since the Bank Hapoalim’s involvement in Israel’s occupation has long been a concern to human rights campaigners we expect that TPF’s specialist responsible investment monitor Pensions & Investment Research Consultants Ltd (PIRC) will be able to confirm the basis of our concerns.

We look forward to hearing from you about the steps you will take to:

• seek a report from PIRC regarding the full extent of Bank Hapoalim’s complicity with Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian Territories;
• confirm that indeed such activities are not compatible with Tayside Pension Fund’s stated responsible investment policy;
• confirm when Bank Hapoalim will be excluded from Tayside Pension Fund until such time as they cease their work to facilitate Israel’s military occupation of Palestinian Territories.

Yours sincerely

Model Letter to:

• Chair, Dumfries and Galloway Pension Fund Committee
• Chair, Dumfries and Galloway Pension Fund Board
• Leader of the Council

Dear ………………………

Dumfries and Galloway Pension Fund
(Administering Authority: Dumfries and Galloway Council)
Investments in Israel’s occupation

We write to draw your attention to our concern that Dumfries and Galloway Pension Fund may be investing in companies involved in Israel’s illegal military occupation of Palestine and violation of Palestinian rights, which we believe would contravene our responsible investment policy. We therefore ask that Dumfries & Galloway Pension Fund (DGPF) take immediate steps to investigate our current investments.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is currently compiling a database of all business enterprises involved in Israel’s illegal occupation and settlement building on Palestinian land. There is growing concern about the activities of these companies:

“Businesses play a central role in furthering the establishment, maintenance and expansion of Israeli settlements. They are involved in constructing and financing settlement homes and supporting infrastructure, providing services to the settlements, and operating out of them. In doing so, they are contributing to Israel’s confiscation of land, facilitate the transfer of its population into the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and are involved in the exploitation of Palestine’s natural resources.”