Los Angeles’ largest labor organization has officially made their stance on the explosive Israeli-Hamas War.

In a statement released Monday, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor (L.A. Labor Fed) — the second-largest central labor body in the nation — called for a ceasefire in Gaza. The organization represents over 800,000 union members across over 300 affiliates. It is part of The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) — the largest federation of unions in the country.

The Federation anguished over the death toll of the conflict in its statement and noted it was joining “union siblings” such as the American Federation of Teachers and the American Association for Union Professors in calling on the United States to call for an immediate cessation of the violence in Gaza.

“The death toll in Gaza has already been unbearable,” the statement reads, “And it threatens to spiral exponentially if the course of the war is not immediately altered.”

The announcement comes as support for Israel at the highest levels in this country has begun to wane. After using its veto power in the United Nations to stop a ceasefire resolution in Gaza three separate times, the United States abstained from the most recent resolution vote calling for a ceasefire during the month of Ramadan on Monday, paving the way for its passage.

Protests from celebrities and organizations around the city calling for a ceasefire remain consistent, although there are plenty of those in Los Angeles who have expressed their support for Israel and believe it is well within its right to self-determination and self-defense.

The effects of these protests have been on display consistently over the past several months, including when activists interrupted and eventually stopped a victory speech by Senate Primary winner Adam Schiff earlier this month. His two biggest competitors — Katie Porter and Barbara Lee — both called for a ceasefire in the conflict.

Pasadena is among several California cities that have passed resolutions calling for a ceasefire, but opponents of these motions have made their feelings known, noting that they may spark anti-Semitic actions and rhetoric. 

While pro-Israel protests have not made many headlines, support has shown itself in other forms recently, including a loss by Kina Collins in Illinois’ Democratic Congressional Primaries. Collins faced significant criticism from the United Democracy Project, an arm of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which has gained notoriety for supporting the campaigns of several Republicans who supported efforts to subvert President Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 Election.

One notable local body that has not weighed in on the tragedy is the Los Angeles City Council, which has made little comment on the conflict despite consistent public comments at city council meetings urging that they do so.

Despite this silence, local support for a ceasefire remains prominent in the headlines, and the L.A. Labor Fed has now clearly stated that they do not believe that the violence occurring is the solution to the over 75-year-long conflict.

“We cannot bomb our way to peace,” the union’s statement reads, “The labor movement must use its voice to uplift peace and justice everywhere.”

Logo of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor.