More locals calling on CUPE leader Fred Hahn to step down

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As the embattled head of CUPE continues to plead innocence, more locals are calling on him to step down.

After a persistent series of anti-Semitic and problematic social media posts since the Oct. 7 terror attacks, CUPE Ontario president Fred Hahn ignored calls from his union’s national executive to step down from his position as general vice-president of the union’s national board.

“I have given many decades of my adult life to our union.  It’s because I deeply love my fellow CUPE members and the work they do,” Hahn said in a statement released Thursday. 

“It’s why I’m both so sad and so angry. Trade unionists I have come to know and respect voted this week to overturn the democratic decisions of CUPE members. It is unprecedented in our union’s history and I’m worried countless CUPE members who are active in the Palestinian solidarity movement could be left more vulnerable and exposed by the precedent as they face similar situations as work.”

Earlier this month, Hahn shared a video on Facebook depicting an AI-generated Olympic diver — wearing a Star of David on his arm — leaping from the springboard and turning into a bomb falling on a building.

Despite Hahn’s assertions, a growing number of locals are demanding his resignation.

Among them are the CUPE Air Canada component, representing 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants, who described Hahn’s actions as “reckless” and putting the safety of their members at risk.

“Our members fly into Tel Aviv, we have members from across the globe, all nationalities and all different religions,” Component president Wesley Lesosky told the Toronto Sun. 

“His comments were adding tension on flights, and adding conflict where it shouldn’t be.”

Lesosky said they discussed the issue with Hahn during CUPE’s national convention in October, but it proved fruitless.

“After he posted the last video and his comments, and once the national executive board requested his resignation, we fully supported it and felt we needed to put something up for our members who were reaching out to us,” he said.

Last week, CUPE Local 2974 — representing paramedics in Windsor-Essex — became the first local to call for Hahn’s resignation.

Also following suit was CUPE Local 5167, who in an open letter said that Hahn’s viewpoints on Israel and Palestine don’t reflect those of the entire union.

“The role of a CUPE union leader is to represent members first and foremost,” read an open letter issued Thursday by local executives.

“Fred’s actions have contributed to the fracturing of the CUPE Ontario labour movement. We further request that CUPE Ontario focus their efforts on supporting the work of their membership and building solidarity within membership on shared labour issues.”

Friday saw Local 3987 — representing custodians for the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic school board — join the campaign.

“CUPE Local 3987 stands with ALL members in our union,” read a statement from local president Jamie Cleroux.

“CUPE Local 3987 is asking for the hostages to be released, a ceasefire, and for Hamas to lay down their arms so Palestinians and Israelis can live in peace.”

Requests by the Toronto Sun to Hahn for comment went unacknowledged.

bpassifiume@postmedia.com
X: @bryanpassifiume

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