E&W Blog

Antisemitism is at record highs, in part thanks to the actions taken by unions. Across the country, unions have staked out political positions on the ongoing war in Israel, often incorporating antisemitic language and tropes in their anti-Israel advocacy.

In his opening statement, Chairman Bob Good (R-VA) commented on how far unions have fallen from their purported mission: to protect the interests of working Americans. He stated, “Rather than focus on their stated purpose of negotiating better workplace conditions for workers, unions choose to spend time and money advancing their divisive and anti-American political agenda.”

The witness panel featured experts including Ms. Ilana Kopmar, Staff Attorney at the Nassau County Legal Aid Society; Mr. William Sussman, Graduate Student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Mr. Glenn Taubman, Staff Attorney at the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation.

Leading off, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) turned to Mr. Taubman and asked about his legal experience working with Jewish employees facing union antisemitism. He asked, “Can you discuss these workers’ reaction to their unions supporting antisemitic and anti-Israel causes despite having a legal duty to protect all members they represent?”

“It is heartbreaking for me as a Jewish-American and as a Zionist to have my phone ringing off the hook every single day since October 7 by students, workers, teachers, legal aid lawyers, doctors, saying, ‘How do I get out of this?’” responded Mr. Taubman.

Testifying beside Mr. Taubman was Mr. Sussman, who served as an example of one such Jewish employee trapped in an antisemitic union. As a member of a United Electrical Workers (UE) affiliate, Mr. Sussman’s compulsory dues are supposed to fund representation, but in reality, are funding the union’s antisemitic actions. To add insult to injury, his request for a religious accommodation was denied.

When asked by Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI) about whether labor law should be changed, Mr. Sussman said, emphatically, “At every turn, the law has failed me.”

One place where the law fails is upholding what are known as “Beck rights.” Beck rights are essentially a worker’s right to opt out of paying the portion of union dues that fund political advocacy. Furthermore, union members are meant to be notified of their Beck rights, an obligation that unions rarely meet.

Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA) asked, “In your experience, do unions respect workers’ decisions to exercise their Beck rights?”

“The answer is absolutely not,” Mr. Taubman responded.

Mr. Taubman continued with his blunt condemnation of union partisanship and antisemitism. Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO) asked, “Have you seen where unions have stepped in to take steps to protect their Jewish members?”

“Never once,” Mr. Taubman replied.

Finally, Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) turned to the other union member on the witness panel, Ms. Kopmar, to ask about her experience as a part of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys. “What does the outcome of the leadership vote on releasing hostages say about those leading your union and the individuals they’ve hired to staff the union?” asked Chairwoman Foxx.

“By voting down that resolution to release the hostages in such an overwhelming manner, in overwhelming numbers, the union showed its true face that the lives of Jews don’t matter,” replied Ms. Kopmar, adding, “They dehumanized the hostages, including American hostages.”