An academic has initiated legal proceedings against his own trade union, accusing them of being anti-Semitic and adopting policies that “violate his dignity”, “create a degrading, humiliating and offensive environment” and that harass its Jewish members.
Lawyers representing Ronnie Fraser, Director of the Academic Friends of Israel (AFI), have written to the University College Union (UCU), which represents more than 120,000 university lecturers and academics, telling them that it is in breach of the Equality Act. The letter says that after 11 years as a union member, Mr Fraser “has had enough” of the UCU’s anti-Semitic policies and with his options “limited to either resigning or suing, he has chosen to sue”.
Anthony Julius, the eminent academic and Deputy Chairman at London law firm Mishcon de Reya, wrote to UCU general secretary Sally Hunt on Friday referring to their recent resolution that rejects an internationally-accepted definition of anti-Semitism. He said this was an attempt to legislate anti-Semitism out of existence, as a result of the UCU being “unable to defend itself against the charge of a certain institutional anti-Semitism”.
In the letter, Mr Julius sets out Mr Fraser’s demands for resolution, which includes an acknowledgement of the UCU’s institutionally anti-Semitic policies, an apology to its Jewish members, the drawing up of a code of conduct in relation to its Jewish members and a commitment to sponsor an education programme on the dangers of anti-Semitism. Failure to meet these demands will see an Equality Act claim be made to an Employment Tribunal by Mr Fraser, which the letter states “he expects to win”.
The letter also lists a number of institutionally anti-Semitic acts by the union over a number of years, including the invite in 2009 for committed anti-Semite Bongani Masuku to speak to its members.
Referring to the UCU’s conduct as “a scandal”, the letter concludes by requesting a response from the UCU by August 5th.
