UNISON, the second largest union in the UK with approximately 1.5 million members, has indicated that if the proposal is passed, it will instruct its members to sever economic and cultural ties with Israel, while the organisation itself would instruct the managers of its pension fund to refrain from investing in Israeli companies.

UNISON has also stated that it would encourage other UK unions to follow its actions.

Unlike the UCU boycott, any UNISON boycott could have a serious impact as the union holds considerable economic power through the sheer size of its membership.

The prospect of a UNISON-led boycott is seriously worrying similar organizations in Israel. The Chairman of the Histadrut labor federation, Ofer Eini, described the prospect as “dangerous, as it is liable to hurt many workers and employers in Israel."

The boycott will be discussed at UNISON’s annual conference to be held on June 19.