This petition asks that CUPE reconsider its boycott. Have a read and consider signing. It’s ironic that a union is attacking a country with a rich union history (that exists to this day) using language culled from the pro-Palestinian camp and essentially requiring that Israel dissolve itself as a Jewish state. I wonder how unions are faring in Arab countries.
I know, I know, you’re asking “what unions?”
Precisely.
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CUPE…a union in search of something to complain about.
Seriously though, when organizations not seen as having a stake in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict go all public about this shit, it makes demonizing Israel normal to ordinary Canadians (a.k.a. the proudly provincial).
Below is a copy of an e-mail sent by the organized Jewish community in Canada (UIA Federation):
UJA FEDERATION AGENCIES TAKE ACTION ON CUPE RESOLUTION
As many of you are aware, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario wing passed a resolution on Saturday, May 27 supporting “the international campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions until Israel meets its obligation to recognize the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination and fully complies with the precepts of international law including the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194.”
Within hours, UJA Federation partner agencies- Canadian Jewish Congress Ontario Region and the Canada Israel Committee – began a strong campaign to counter the resolution by:
• Issuing an Action Alert calling on Canadians to contact CUPE Ontario leadership to denounce the resolution. Messages can be sent to CUPE Ontario president Sid Ryan at [email protected];
• Contacting media to express the community’s unequivocal opposition to the resolution;
• Meeting with key labour leaders across the country to express our community’s concerns and the reasons for our opposition to the resolution;
• Providing politicians, journalists and community members with accurate, up to date information on Middle East developments
We are pleased to note the breadth of opposition to the CUPE Ontario resolution from a variety of sources, including:
The CUPE National union;
Buzz Hargrove, President of the Canadian Auto Workers Union;
The Government of Ontario as expressed by Citizenship & Immigration Minister Michael Colle;
The Ontario Progressive Conservative Caucus through a question on the subject from MPP Tim Hudak;
NDP Member of Parliament Pat Martin;
Virtually all major Canadian newspaper editorials
For a comprehensive review of newspaper articles and Ontario legislature proceedings please
click here.
UJA Federation, through its partner organizations, is energetically continuing the campaign against CUPE Ontario’s unfair, unreasonable, one-sided stand.
You can also write to CUPE directly (theseaddresses are already widely available on the net so it’s not an invasion of their privacy):
Sid Ryan, President CUPE Ontario: [email protected]
CUPE Ontario Executive Members: [email protected]
Katherine Nastovski, Chair, CUPE Ontario International
Solidarity Committee: [email protected]