Cynical accusations of anti-Semitism against a pro-Palestine union leader have galvanised the movement in his defence, reports John Clarke

A major effort is underway to drive the president of the Ontario division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (Cupe), Fred Hahn, from office because of his consistent and principled solidarity with the Palestinian struggle. This attack, however, has now unleashed a groundswell of support for Hahn that may lead to a major defeat for those who have weaponised anti-Semitism in the service of Israel.

Those who seek to justify Israel’s crimes decided to intensify their attack on Hahn when, as described by Independent Jewish Voices (IJV), he ‘re-posted a satiric video showing an Israeli diver (clearly representing the State of Israel) turning, mid-plunge, into a bomb and destroying a street scene and killing children in Gaza. Rather than seeing the social-media post as the criticism of Israel that it is, groups like CIJA (Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs), B’nai Brith Canada and the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center opportunistically insist that it is directed against Jews.’

Campaign of vilification

With their response to the video following ‘a well-worn pattern, these organizations are running the antisemitism charge up the flagpole to see who salutes it.’ IJV argues, moreover, that this particular attack on Hahn takes place within the context of a broader ‘campaign of vilification … meant to shut down a growing tsunami of legitimate criticism of Israel.’

Fred Hahn and Cupe Ontario have long been targeted in this way because of their support for the Palestinian struggle. In 2006, the division passed a resolution calling for an economic boycott of Israel and three years later, the previous president, Sid Ryan, came under ferocious attack when Cupe Ontario called for a boycott of Israeli universities.

The present attack on Hahn, who has served as Cupe Ontario’s president since 2010 and was recently re-elected, has also been seized upon by Ontario’s right-wing Conservative government. At a press conference, ‘Premier Doug Ford called Hahn a “disgusting human being” … while praising one of his ministers for recent criticism of Hahn … and asked union members to vote him out.’

Appallingly, with a vicious right-wing attack on Hahn and Palestine solidarity in full swing, ‘the national arm of the Canadian Union of Public Employees passed a motion asking vice-president Fred Hahn to resign.’ Hahn, however, has rejected this call and has forcefully affirmed his intention to remain in office. The Israeli diver in the video he re-posted was depicted with a Star of David tattoo, rather than an Israeli flag, and Hahn did, in fact, apologise and remove the video. However, he noted in a Facebook post that ‘my intent was never to associate Jewish people with the violence enacted by the state of Israel.’

Hahn also stressed that ‘I want to be clear – I utterly reject the charge of antisemitism … Anyone who knows and works with me knows it to be a lie.’ He added that there ‘is much work to be done – and because I respect the democracy of our union, the choice of our members, I will be here to continue to fight side by side with all of you.’

The effort to drive Hahn out has been countered very powerfully with a huge outpouring of support for him and wide-ranging respect for his decision to face down his accusers. A coalition of trade-union members called Labour for Palestine has issued a statement in his support that ‘calls on the CUPE National Executive Board to reverse its call for CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn’s resignation and urges them, and others within the labour movement, not to cave to zionist pressure.’

The statement goes on to suggest that the ‘call for Hahn’s resignation is a dangerous attack on every member of the labour movement and a distraction from the current genocide in Gaza that has claimed over 50,000 lives …This attack on Fred Hahn represents an attack on the strength the labour movement has built in its principled stance for Palestinian liberation.’ It adds that Cupe National’s position ‘represents a dangerous precedent for labour leaders who dare to take a principled position and speak out against power. It is a threat to the integrity of union democracy everywhere.’

Labour for Palestine has also drawn up a letter for supporters to send to Cupe National and, as I write this article, 181,600 people have acted upon this call in the space of a few days. There has also been a deluge of phone calls going into Cupe’s national office expressing support for Hahn.

In addition to the support from union members, twenty one ‘Arab-Canadian organizations’ have drawn up an open letter to Cupe National. It notes that the ‘last year has been painful and difficult one for our community, especially our Palestinian members. We are witnessing a genocide unfold in Gaza, while most of our elected leaders remain silent. Anti-Palestinian racism is rampant, yet very few leaders will acknowledge it. Arab-Canadians are increasingly targeted at work and in their communities, but have struggled to find support in a climate of fear and retribution.’

The letter points out that ‘Fred Hahn has stood out as a principled and steadfast supporter of our community.’ It adds that ‘we, too, have faced unfounded allegations of antisemitism in response to our advocacy for Palestinian human rights and self-determination. And like Fred, we utterly reject them … we are urging you to immediately reverse your decision to request Fred’s removal from the National Executive Board.’

Obviously stung by this overwhelming and deeply critical response to their decision, the national union issued a response on 22 August. This sought to demonstrate that it was not caving in to pressure from the political right and supporters of Israel. The statement asserted that ‘we do not take advice from a union-hating, public service-gutting Premier trying to distract from his own scandals and track record.’

It also stressed that nothing ‘about this decision changes CUPE’s clear, consistent position on the bombardment of Gaza by Israel, either: CUPE continues to call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire; a release of all hostages from Gaza; and an end to the blockade of Gaza and the restoration of humanitarian aid. CUPE also calls on the Government of Canada to suspend the sale of arms and military equipment to Israel as it committed to doing in March 2024.’

The statement insists that the move against Hahn was motivated purely by the finding that he had ‘reposted a deeply problematic video that was a clear violation of our union’s equality statement.’ It asserts that to ‘suggest that asking for Fred’s resignation as a GVP is to throw in with those who support the genocide in Gaza, or is in response to a conservative Premier’s bullying, is frankly ludicrous.’

Reverse the decision

However Cupe National may choose to present its conduct, there is no doubt that tens of thousands of trade unionists, the Palestine solidarity movement and representatives of Palestinian and other Arab communities see the call for Hahn’s resignation as a move that gives comfort to those who seek to stifle free speech on Palestine and who work to enable Israel’s crimes. No one is suggesting that Cupe’s national leaders wish to ally themselves with Doug Ford but the fact that they are acting in ways of which he utterly approves is inescapably true and enormously telling.

It is readily apparent that the outpouring of solidarity for Fred Hahn has not been matched by expressions of public support from trade-union leaders or official union structures. The powerful wave of support is coming almost entirely from the rank and file within the unions and from communities in which Palestine solidarity has taken root.

The attempt to remove Fred Hahn from union office is unquestionably unfolding in the context of a new McCarthyism that Israel’s defenders are working to promote and advance. Yet the incredible scale on which people are rallying to defend him speaks to the huge change in popular thinking on Palestine that has taken place. The bullying and intimidation that has been used to strangle voices of Palestine solidarity is being challenged with a new level of determination.

The national leadership of Cupe has taken this dreadful step at a very bad time, given the horrors that are being inflicted on the Palestinians. No one seriously believes that Fred Hahn is anti-Semitic. The levelling of this charge against him is a tired and cynical tactic that should be dismissed with contempt. For Cupe National to legitimise it in this way is disastrously wrongheaded and enormously dangerous. This decision must be challenged and reversed and Cupe’s role as an ally in the struggle to build a movement of solidarity with the Palestinian struggle must be reasserted and strengthened.