Eighteen staff and students have signed a SafeWork complaint alleging that the University has breached work health and safety laws by not taking meaningful steps to prevent the bullying and harassment of Jewish people on campus.
The complaint says that multiple reports have been made since October 7 last year of “psychosocial hazards at the workplace to the university.”
Examples of intimidation, according to the complaint, include the use of the term ‘intifada’ during protests and the recent Student General Meeting (SGM) motion which the complaint argues “affirmed violence against Jews.”
Whether the term intifada incites violence against Jews is heavily disputed by activists who argue the word refers to an uprising or shaking off oppression.
Last year, Vice-Chancellor Mark Scott banned an event held by the socialist group Solidarity, claiming it violated campus policy by supporting Hamas, which Australia designates as a terrorist organisation.
A separate letter signed by 31 staff members in January called on the university to ban certain campus factions like Socialist Alternative and Solidarity completely.
While no groups have been banned and Federal Attorney General Mark Dreyfus refused to give legal advice on the meaning of intifada, multiple students have faced disciplinary action for making announcements during lectures to inform students about protests.
The University also released the new Campus Access Policy which heavily restricts all forms of student protest and was widely seen as a response to the encampment.
SRC Education Officer Grace Street, who was involved in the Gaza solidarity encampment and SGM, told Honi Soit that there was no basis for the anti-Semitism allegations.
“Quite simply, our encampment and campaign for Palestine stands for freedom and liberation. We condemn all forms of racism and discrimination, and the encampment was a place for community-building, which was sustained alongside anti-Zionist Jewish students.
“Nobody was turned away or made to feel unwelcome on the basis of their background or ethnicity,” she said.
Street also rejected the allegation that the SGM called for violence against Jews, telling Honi that “the SGM was a powerful show of hundreds of students voting to end complicity with apartheid and genocide, for oppressed peoples to resist the violence of occupation (a right enshrined in international law), and for Palestine to once again be a land where people of all religions can live together equally.”
The NTEU confirmed to Honi that it has not been approached by any of its members to assist in the complaint.
When asked if the union supported the allegations Sydney Branch President Nick Riemer said “It’s obvious to any reasonable observer that the idea that there has been a ‘vicious’ and ‘racist’ antisemitic campaign at the University of Sydney is absurd. Many of the protesters are themselves Jewish, including some of the most active and prominent ones.”
Riemer criticised the University for not doing enough to protest staff and students who took part in the encampment and other demonstrations.
“Staff and students have been subjected to continual attacks from Zionists, often amplified by the mainstream media, especially Murdoch. University management has done nothing to protect staff from this intimidation.”
A university spokesperson told Honi that “ensuring the safety of our staff and students is always our top priority,” and defended its record of protecting members of the University community from harm.
“When the encampment was first established, we quickly put in place additional measures to help students and staff continue to move around the campus safely, including additional security and personal escorts where requested. We’re providing comprehensive wellbeing support and continue to assess and control the psychosocial hazards on our campuses.”
Honi understands that SafeWork NSW has not yet reached out to the University.
An inspector may be sent on campus to assess if the workplace environment is compliant with all regulations.
The power to make orders to stop alleged bullying or harassment in the workplace remains with the Fair Work Commission.
