Paramedic Katherine Grzejszczak was recently relieved from her duties by the municipal government of York Region, Ontario. The reason for this surprising turn of events was Katherine’s vocal criticism of Israel’s activities in the Middle East and their stance on Palestinian issues. She expressed her views on a social media post shared by the Canadian Union of Public Employees’ Ontario chapter, commonly known as CUPE Ontario – the very union that Katherine and her fellow York Region paramedics are a part of.
Grzejszczak made her position clear regarding Israel’s involvement in the conflicts spanning multiple Middle Eastern countries including Palestine, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran over the past couple of years. She underscored Israel’s actions against Palestinian children which have drawn widespread condemnation. The pointed criticism also extended to the continued harassment of workers from various sectors, with journalists, healthcare professionals, and municipal workers being the primary targets.
She advocated for organizations to break their silence and actively resist, applauding CUPE Ontario and the Toronto and York Region Labour Council. Grzejszczak was appreciative of their initiative to rally members for demonstrations against Israel’s interventions in Iran. She praised these unions as rare entities advocating in unison with the workers affected by these interventions.
The post shared by CUPE Ontario was an attempt to promote an anti-war demonstration against Israel’s contentious actions. However, the criticism against Israel by Grzejszczak attracted severe backlash. Certain critics initiated a campaign demanding her termination, and surprisingly, the campaign gained support from local politicians as well.
Gila Martow, a Councilor from the City of Vaughn, was public in her approval of the campaign seeking to terminate Grzejszczak. Chris Spearen, who holds a commanding position as the Chief and General Manager of paramedic and seniors services at the York Region Municipality, also played a part in bringing about this decision.
Justifying their decision to fire Grzejszczak, York Region used the language of inclusivity, adding another layer of complexity to the situation. This event sparked serious concerns about the infringement of Grzejszczak’s freedom of speech.
Grzejszczak is not just a paramedic, but also a prominent union member affiliated with CUPE Local 4900. Additionally, she is part of CUPE Ontario’s executive board. The decision to remove her from her position due to her vocalisation of her views sparked widespread criticism.
The termination of Grzejszczak, many argued, represented an international pattern of suppressing dissent regarding Israel’s incursions on Gaza. Such suppression has been noticed in various parts of the globe like Canada, where the actions of Israel in Gaza have triggered mass outrage.
Grzejszczak’s termination for expressing her criticism adds fuel to the fire of the far-right, which aims to suppress opposition. This situation creates an urgency for the international working class to resist these suppressive tactics and push for her immediate reinstatement with full back pay.
In light of the circumstances, CUPE Ontario has made a public call for Grzejszczak’s reinstatement. The incident serves as a wake-up call for the working class to comprehend the motives behind such attacks on their democratic rights.
Apart from Grzejszczak’s termination, the rights and working conditions of the working class have come under attack. Concession contracts engineered to disadvantage workers are being imposed across various economic sectors. These circumstances necessitate a profound comprehension by the working class that no sector of the ruling class inherently holds their interest in safeguarding democratic rights.
The suppression of workers’ rights needs to be counteracted by a mass movement against genocide and war. But for this to happen, workers need to cut off from the union bureaucracy that inhibits these movements.
A collective response by class-conscious workers is needed to counteract these suppressive actions. North American workers need to unite to fight against war, austerity, and precarious jobs, and safeguard their right to free expression, without fearing dismissal or persecution.