SoA calls extraordinary general meeting to debate Gaza statement

The Society of Authors (SoA) has called an extraordinary general meeting to debate a proposed statement on Gaza, as well as resolutions on the use of members’ work to develop Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems and ending fossil fuel investments in the books industry.

The event will take place online on 2nd May 2024 and is exclusively for SoA Full Members and Associate Members.  

The statement on Gaza, proposed by 66 members, says the SoA "condemns indiscriminate targeting of civilians and cultural infrastructure including churches, mosques, hospitals, schools, libraries and universities" and "calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and for Israel to uphold its obligations under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights".

It adds: "The SoA believes that the relative inertia of UK publishing at a time when Palestinian authors and publishing workers continue to suffer is not acceptable. The SoA is also deeply concerned about the unprecedented levels of censorship and retribution that authors and publishing workers in the UK are facing in response to their solidarity with the Palestinian people.

"The SoA must join the global union movement, including our sister movements in the UK, in calling for peace and affirm support for publishing workers calling for justice and accountability". 

However, the SoA’s Management Committee has voted by majority to oppose it, saying: “The issue of whether the Society of Authors (SoA) should comment on the horrific situation in Israel and Gaza, and the deeply distressing and escalating humanitarian crisis, has been discussed carefully, at length and revisited several times by the SoA’s board (Management Committee) since 7th October 2023, with the decision each time that the SoA should not make a statement. This was also discussed by the membership at the SoA’s a.g.m. on 16th November 2023, with several of the signatories taking part in the discussion. The Management Committee opposes Resolution 3 and recommends that members vote against it." 

The committee said it wanted to make clear that “all authors should be free to express their views without facing direct or indirect censorship, including boycott or cancellation of authors or publishers because of their views, ethnicities, religions or ties to other countries” and that “all authors and publishing workers have the right to freedom of expression.”

The first resolution on AI was proposed by the SoA Management Committee, and asks members to vote “to assert that they do not consent to the use of SoA members’ works to develop AI systems”.  

The second resolution on ending fossil fuel investments in the books industry was proposed by 31 members and asks members “to vote for the SoA to lobby for a responsible end to fossil fuel investment in the books industry”.