Fred Hahn asked to resign from CUPE national executive
Move does not impact his position at provincial level
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OTTAWA — Anti-Israel social media posts have prompted CUPE’s national executive to request the union’s Ontario president to step down from his board.
In an email to union members obtained by the Toronto Sun, the letter informs members that due to an Aug. 11 incident where CUPE Ontario president Fred Hahn shared an anti-Semitic video on his Facebook page, he’s been asked to step down his position as general vice president of CUPE’s national executive.
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“The National Executive Board has lost confidence in the ability of Fed Hahn to represent the national union as a General Vice-President, and consequently calls for his resignation from this position.,” the letter says.
The call does not impact Hahn’s role as president of CUPE Ontario.
The post that Hahn shared depicted an AI-generated Olympic diver — wearing a Star of David on his arm — leaping from the springboard before turning into a bomb and falling on houses, purportedly criticism of Israel’s ongoing campaign to eradicate Hamas terrorists from Gaza.
In a statement to the Toronto Sun last week, Hahn defended his comments and dismissed the concerns of his Jewish members.
Hahn gained infamy for a series of problematic social media posts, including a tweet made one day after the Oct. 7 terror attacks.
“As we all think about reasons to be thankful this #thanksgiving2023, I know I’m thankful for the power of workers, the power of resistance around the globe,” he tweeted on Oct. 8.
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“Because #Resistance is fruitful and no matter what some might say, #Resistance brings progress, and for that, I’m thankful.”
Among those expressing displeasure was Ontario Labour Minister David Piccini, who during an Association of Municipalities of Ontario reception in Ottawa urged Hahn to represent his entire membership and to “stop hating Jews.”
During a news conference on Wednesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford referred to Hahn as a “bully” and a “disgusting human being.”
bpassifiume@postmedia.com
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