A group of CUNY professors are suing a teachers union for promoting antisemitism and forcing them to remain members despite resigning.
They argue that the union’s actions violate their First and 14th Amendment rights.
Avraham Goldstein, a mathematics professor, wrote, “My family and I suffered severe anti-Semitic harassment and persecution at the hands of the Soviet Union for over fifteen years.”
“I hoped it was all in my past. But now I am forced to associate with a union that makes anti-Semitic political statements in my name without my permission or consent,” continued his statement.
The Fairness Center previously warned that “unions like the PSC are free to treat nonmembers, like these professors, as second-class employees, offering them inferior services compared to members.”
Goldstein wrote, “Plaintiffs’ forced inclusion in their bargaining unit does a disservice to them and causes them to be disadvantaged in their terms and conditions of employment and in their relations with their fellow employees and the general public.”
“[T]he ongoing deprivation of rights… caused by state statutes and Defendants’ contracts, policies, and practices that designate PSC as Plaintiffs’ exclusive bargaining representative with their Employer, force Plaintiffs into a defined bargaining unit with others who do not share the same interests, and require some Plaintiffs to continue to financially subsidize PSC’s speech even though they have resigned their membership in the union,” their filing continued.
“PSC’s designation as exclusive bargaining representative and Plaintiffs’ mandatory inclusion in a bargaining unit violate Plaintiffs’ speech, petitioning, and associational rights under the First Amendment,” wrote the professors.
The case, filed in 2022, is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court if necessary.
Professor Jeffrey Lax said, “I think our only hope is the U.S. Supreme Court.”
“And my message would be to the Supreme Court… we’re not just trying to take a position that’s different than the union’s. We’re not just saying that the union’s views towards Jewish people are abhorrent to us. That’s not why we’re saying we want to leave this union,” he continued.
“These unions have almost limitless funds. They’re not using it to bargain, they’re not using it to help their employees’ better salaries or working conditions… they’re doing it for political and ideological gain and to indoctrinate students.” alleged Lox.
The professors believe the union’s antisemitic stance is influenced by Marxist teachings and contributes to antisemitic activism on college campuses.
The union denies the claims, stating that representing all workers is essential for collective power.
The union wrote, “It has been brought by members of the CUNY faculty who are not members of the PSC and who are funded by the anti-union National Right to Work Legal Foundation in another attempt to eliminate unions.”
“Representing every worker in a shop is fundamental to a union’s power. It’s what makes the workers’ power collective and gives them the combined strength to win better pay and working conditions,” reads their statement.
“The core question of the suit has been answered,” insisted the union.
Lox said, “The main thing is that by forcing us to be part of the bargaining unit, they force us to allow them to bargain for our working conditions, and they don’t care about the pervasive antisemitism that we’re all seeing that’s going on right now at universities across the country, and it is the worst at my university.”
The resolution in question supports the Palestinian cause and the BDS movement.
The professors’ main concern is being forced to allow the union to bargain for their working conditions despite pervasive antisemitism in universities.
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