Jewish CUPE Members File Human Rights Complaint Against Union Over Alleged Discrimination and Antisemitism

Fred Hahn, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario, speaks at a press conference at Queen's Park in Toronto on July 16, 2018. (The Canadian Press/Mark Blinch)

Jewish members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) have filed a human rights claim against the union alleging “systemic” discrimination and antisemitic behaviour.

The complaint, reportedly filed with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) on Nov. 6, involves 25 Jewish members of CUPE who have accused the union of antisemitic behaviour spanning at least five years.

“The respondents have collectively engaged in systemic discrimination against the complainants by promoting and engaging in antisemitism,” said the complaint, according to the National Post. “This has caused the complainants to feel isolated, unwelcome, scared, silenced, discriminated against, threatened and harassed.”

The HRTO has confirmed to The Epoch Times in an emailed statement that it has received “several related applications.” However, it declined to disclose the documents, saying that these cases have “not yet been served” and are continuing through the tribunal’s processes.

The Gaza-based Hamas terrorist organization invaded Israel on Oct. 7, launching attacks by land, air, and sea that left some 1,400 Israelis dead and more than a thousand wounded in a single day. Hundreds of people have also been taken hostage by Hamas. Global Affairs Canada said in an Oct. 30 statement that seven Canadians had died as a result of the conflict, while two others remained missing.

On the same day, CUPE Local 3906 issued a post on X, previously known as Twitter, stating that “Palestine is rising, long live the resistance.” The statement was deleted as of Oct. 8 following public backlash. The union representing academic workers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., also rejected the university’s expression of “disappointment” regarding its social media posts.

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CUPE’s Ontario President Fred Hahn, who had reacted to this post with a like and also reposted another tweet from Jewish Voice for Peace, accusing Israel of “apartheid and occupation,” has apologized for his actions. In an open letter issued Oct. 21, he said the timing of his tweet about resistance was “wrong” and that it was “an error.”

The complaint filed with the Ontario tribunal said that in posting such comments, “the respondents were celebrating the murder and rape of Jewish children and civilians, calling it justified and promoting violence and discrimination against Jewish people,” as reported by the National Post.

The Epoch Times has reached out to CUPE for comment regarding the complaints but didn’t hear back by press time.

Mr. Hahn said he has not yet received any communication from the HRTO regarding the alleged complaints and, therefore, could not comment on the allegations made.

“However, our union understands the fundamental importance of human rights and we take these matters very seriously,” he told The Epoch Times in a Nov. 7 emailed statement. “We firmly believe there has been no violation of Ontario’s Human Rights Code, and in any forum we will be happy to stand on our record of fighting discrimination and oppression in all their forms.”

‘Long Pattern of Discrimination’

While social media posts from Mr. Hahn and CUPE Local 3906 have faced criticism, including from Federal Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan, the complaint filed with the Ontario tribunal said these incidents were not isolated, but are part of “a long pattern of discrimination against Jewish union members.”

The human rights complaint accused CUPE of endorsing and fostering antisemitism against its Jewish members. It contends that the union intentionally omits education on antisemitism in its policies or documents, even in the face of calls for inclusion. The complaint points to various CUPE resolutions as examples of this alleged discrimination.

For example, a resolution presented by CUPE Local 3903 in 2019, characterized Israel as being involved in an “illegal occupation” in Palestine. This resolution additionally called for the development of member education and the support of campaigns aimed at pressuring Israel to “end the occupation and siege on Gaza, dismantle illegal settlements and the apartheid wall.” CUPE Local 3903 represents contract faculty and academic assistants at York University.

According to the National Post, the complaint also highlighted a 2021 CUPE resolution that expressed opposition to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism. A similar “constitutional amendment resolution” was introduced in 2023, saying that CUPE would lobby the government to repeal its recognition of the Alliance.

The claim seeks $500,000 in compensation for the pain and suffering endured by the Jewish members. Additionally, it requests an order allowing members to redirect their union dues to a Jewish charity, according to the National Post. Among the other remedies sought are orders for the union to cease engaging in discrimination and hate toward Jewish members, establish internal policies to combat antisemitism, and require union leaders to attend educational seminars addressing antisemitism.

CUPE is Canada’s largest union with a membership of 740,000 people nationwide. It represents workers in a wide range of sectors, including health care, emergency services, education, social services, transportation, and numerous other fields.