Will Sussman, newly elected president of MIT's Hillel group, found himself in conflict with the Graduate Student Union after it engaged in pro-Palestine protests. He learned of this issue in November, shortly after the 2023 Hamas attacks, leading to his objections regarding mandatory union dues that were used in ways he found contrary to his beliefs.
Sussman emphasized that many Jewish students simply request that the unions don't use their fees to support the BDS movement. This involvement has grown, creating discontent among those who feel their beliefs are not represented.
The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation provided support for Sussman and others taking their case to the NLRB and EEOC, leading to a settlement allowing grad workers to object to paying for nonrepresentational activities related to Israel.
The settlement reached means affected graduate workers won't need to fund union actions opposing Israel, addressing a significant concern for Jewish students regarding the political activities of their union.
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