The complaints had been filed on Oct. 7 earlier than the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal
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OTTAWA — Members of considered one of Ontario’s largest public sector unions have filed 27 separate human rights complaints, accusing the union of fostering a hostile surroundings for its Jewish members.
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Filed on Oct. 7 with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal, the complaints element patterns of alleged problematic behaviour by the Ontario Public Service Staff Union (OPSEU) and its officers since final October’s Hamas terror assaults, creating what the grievance describes as a failure to make sure the union doesn’t discriminate in opposition to Jewish members.
“Instantly following Hamas’ Oct. 7 2023 terrorist assault in opposition to Israel, OPSEU started advocating unbalanced and biased views in the direction of Israel, and created a tradition of worry, discrimination and bias in the direction of Jewish OPSEU members,” alleges the grievance, a duplicate of which was seen by the Toronto Solar.
Invites to OPSEU by the Toronto Solar for remark went unacknowledged.
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“Jewish OPSEU members have tried for a lot of, many months with letters of concern with discrimination complaints in opposition to (Union President J.P.) Hornick and the union, hoping for some help to fight union antisemitism, and the union’s involvement in selling antisemitism,” lead counsel David Hager, who’s dealing with the case alongside the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), instructed the Toronto Solar.
“This was a final resort, the one means that they might attempt to acquire redress, and maybe go ahead on a optimistic foundation with the union.”
Jewish OPSEU members have been outspoken on the actions of their union for the reason that Oct. 7 assaults, together with demanding solutions as to why union flags routinely seem at anti-Israel protests, together with one rally on Jan. 14 that includes chants supporting the Houthi terrorist group.
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The grievance alleges that OPSEU helps rallies and occasions the place anti-Semitic statements had been outstanding, Hager stated — attributing the difficulty to a scarcity of training on the a part of union execs.
The grievance additionally highlights three letters despatched to Hornick on Dec. 5, 11 and Feb. 5 expressing concern of the union’s allegedly antisemitic conduct, however she by no means replied to the complaints.
“In responses by the assistants, OPSEU made it clear that they might take no motion,” the grievance reads.
As effectively, Jewish members had been pressured to endure anti-Israel flyers, posters and speeches, accusing Israel of conducting a so-called “genocide” in opposition to Palestinians through the union’s annual conference in April.
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The grievance additionally alleges that Jewish OPSEU members had been banned from an OPSEU Fb web page for defending themselves.
“You could have a sure variety of OPSEU members who’re very dedicated to their trigger, and have satisfied the chief board and Hornick that they need to conduct themselves in a sure means,” Hager alleged. “The issue is that the way in which they’re conducting themselves is definitely antisemitic.”
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Hager, who’s dealing with the case pro-bono, was praised by Richard Marceau, CIJA’s vice-president of exterior affairs and common counsel.
“We’re extremely grateful for the companies that David Hager is offering and the work he takes on for these Jewish OPSEU members coping with such a hostile surroundings on account of their union’s anti-Jewish agenda,” he stated.
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