CUNY union sides against Israel

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He’s never shied away from backing a labor union before, but Councilman Eric Dinowitz is not happy with the Professional Staff Congress-CUNY decision to denounce Israel, backing  every college professor who reportedly resigned from the union in light of the measure.

“The resolution, and its anti-Semitic sentiment, led over 50 members to end their association with an organization meant to protect their rights and fight for better wages and working conditions,” Dinowitz said, in a statement. “This marginalization of members is antithetical to the principles of organized labor.”

The PSC-CUNY resolution says it “cannot be silent about the continued subjugation of Palestinians to the state-supported displacement, occupation and use of lethal force by Israel.”

Stuart Chen-Hayes, a professor in counselor education at Lehman College, says he believes the number of professors leaving the union is overstated, and that he backs the measure.

“The only way South Africa’s racist apartheid government was brought down was through massive popular uprising against racism,” Chen-Hayes told The Riverdale Press. “The same is true against Israeli aggression toward Palestinians.”

Dinowitz feared such a resolution was poorly timed, especially as violence continues to grow against Jews, and backlash against ice cream company Ben & Jerry’s for its decision to “boycott Israel.”

Eric Dinowitz, Professional Staff Congress-CUNY, PSC-CUNY, Lehman College, Stuart Chen-Hayes,

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