Lawsuit targets university labor union, professional group in bid to fight antisemitism

A recently filed lawsuit accuses university labor unions and professional associations of being complicit in the disruptive anti-Israel protests that roiled U.S. campuses after Hamas's deadly Oct. 7 attacks on Israel.

The August 5 lawsuit accuses the Columbia/Barnard Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (C/B-AAUP) and Student Workers of Columbia-UAW (SWC-UAW). The plaintiffs are pseudonymous students of Columbia University.

The defendants are accused of being complicit in depriving the plaintiffs of the benefit of substantial funds spent on a Columbia University education.

"These students paid tens of thousands of dollars in tuition and fees for a full semester of classes and access to campus facilities," according to a press package for the complaint.

"They were denied what they purchased because of the dangers created by the encampment," in which the defendants were allegedly complicit, the press package alleges.

The lawsuit seeks damages from one or both of the groups for negligence, breach of contract to a third-party beneficiary, civil conspiracy and aiding and abetting a tort.

The lawsuit seeks negligence damages from SWC-UAW and C/B-AAUP for "breaking or inciting others to break university rules in ways that cause substantial and foreseeable damage to" the plaintiff.

The lawsuit accuses SWC-UAW of breach of contract to a third-party beneficiary.

Part of SWC-UAW's labor contract with the university stipulated that "Columbia University is committed to providing a learning, living, and working environment free from discrimination and harassment, and to fostering a nurturing and vibrant community founded upon the fundamental dignity and worth of all of its members."

This clause, the lawsuit argues, created a third-party beneficiary in the plaintiffs, which SWC-UAW allegedly breached "by engaging in activity that was a concerted interference with the University's work" and "abuse, intimidating, and harassing" toward the plaintiffs "based on race, religion, and national origin."

"Even before October 7, 2023, we saw a lot of anti-Semitism on college campuses," Cherise Trump of Speech First told Just the News. "I will say that universities are really struggling with this. They are struggling to enforce basic policies on their campus that a lot of these pro-Hamas groups are violating."

The lawsuit accuses SWC-UAW and C/B-AAUP of engaging in a civil conspiracy by working with other parties to create and maintain a disruptive campus encampment.

SWC-UAW and C/B-AAUP stand accused of aiding and abetting a tort. C/B-AAUP allegedly "lent substantial assistance and encouragement to the encampment sponsors."

The lawsuit accuses SWC-UAW of having "lent substantial assistance and encouragement by providing public advocacy and training, holding a rally in support of the encampment."

The plaintiffs seek class-action certification, compensatory damages, punitive damages and attorney's fees.

SWC-UAW and C/B-AAUP did not respond to a request for comment sent outside of normal business hours.