Unionized Jewish employees taking OPSEU to Ontario Human Rights Tribunal

Ontario Public Service Employees Union Created a Culture that Openly Advocates Anti-Jewish and Anti-Israel Propaganda and Antisemitism
Ottawa, ON – October 10, 2024 – On October 7, 2024, the anniversary of Hamas’ brutal attack that was the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, Jewish members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) filed 27 individual complaints at the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal (OHRT) against the union for discriminatory, antisemitic behaviour and creating an environment that is hostile to its Jewish members.
The complaints detail individual events and patterns of behaviour, which began immediately following the October 7 terror attack, that have led to a culture where anti-Jewish and anti-Israel propaganda and antisemitism are advanced openly, Jewish union members are singled out and marginalized, and their concerns of discrimination are downplayed or ignored. These actions and others have left OPSEU’s Jewish members feeling abandoned.
“The essence of the complainants’ case is that OPSEU is clearly pushing a prejudiced agenda that discriminates against Jewish union members, including in its communications, both with its own members and with the general public,” said David Hager, prominent labour and employment lawyer and member of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs’ (CIJA) Legal Task Force, who is lead counsel on the case and representing the complainants.
“Jewish members of OPSEU should not be forced to accept a poisoned environment where Jews are villainized in the eyes of their colleagues as a result of their union’s antisemitism, dissemination of anti-Israel views and anti-Jewish propaganda, and its support for the antisemitic conduct of outside groups,” said Hager.
Prior to filing at the OHRT, the complainants reported their concerns about antisemitic conduct by OPSEU members and the actions and inactions of the Executive Board through appropriate internal channels. They requested OPSEU’s president condemn antisemitism within the union and put training in place for Executive Board members, senior administration, and staff to counter the culture of antisemitism festering within the union. These concerns and requests were not addressed, and subsequent internal union discrimination complaints against the president and other union members were dismissed without investigation. Lacking other channels to fight the ongoing discrimination, demonization, and harassment they are experiencing, the complainants are bringing their concerns to the OHRT.
“OPSEU has engaged in discrimination against the complainants and other Jewish members contrary to the Human Rights Code by both action and inaction – by promoting and engaging in antisemitism and by its administration wilfully ignoring their duty to protect Jewish members and failing to take any action when problematic conduct has been reported. The union, which is supposed to represent their collective interests, is in fact perpetuating an environment of fear, discrimination, and bias against them.”
The complainants request a public apology, training for all OPSEU Executive Board members about antisemitism, the prohibition of funding BDS initiatives, and damages to be paid as a donation to the complainants’ chosen Jewish organizations that are engaged in fighting antisemitism.
The CIJA Legal Task Force – composed of volunteer lawyers from across Canada to coordinate litigation in defense of Jewish people – connected the complainants with David Hager’s pro-bono offer.
“We are incredibly thankful for the services that David Hager is providing and the work he is taking on for these Jewish OPSEU members dealing with such a hostile environment due to their union’s anti-Jewish agenda,” said Richard Marceau, Vice President, External Affairs and General Counsel, CIJA.
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Additional Background
- Press Release: CIJA fighting for accountability from federal government over renewing UNWRA funding
- Press Release: TMU Student Suing University for Fostering Poisoned Antisemitic Environment
- Press Release: Canadian Families of Hamas Victims and CIJA are Taking the Canadian Government to Court Over its Decision to Resume Funding for UNRWA
- Press Release: Unionized Jewish Employees Taking PSAC – Canada’s Largest Federal Public Service Union – To Canadian Human Rights Commission
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