CUPE, multiple groups are rallying behind the paramedic fired over a Facebook comment on Israel as the region denies reinstatement in the first part of the grievance process
Unions and other organizations are rallying around a York Region paramedic fired for a Facebook post about Israel and Palestine as the municipality refuses to reinstate her.
Katherine Grzejszczak made her first public statements since being fired June 20 over concerns about a post she made criticizing Israel’s actions in Gaza. The Canadian Union of Public Employees organized a news conference today, July 31, in Toronto to provide an update, revealing that York Region had denied her grievance to date, though the process is continuing.
Grzejszczak said her post was mischaracterized as hateful, as she argued against Israel’s actions in Gaza as a genocide.
“I love my job as a paramedic because it is first and foremost about preserving life and alleviating suffering, and organizing to end a genocide does not contradict those professional obligations,” she said. “I really hope that I’m soon reinstated so that I can continue to use my life-saving skills to serve the residents of York Region.”
Grzejszczak’s firing has ignited significant controversy and social media attention. CUPE has continued to back her, with the union filing a grievance procedure to address the firing. The two sides met for the first time July 22, but that did not lead to a resolution, and CUPE said they are prepared to fight this through an arbitration process. That could take several months or longer to resolve.
Grzejszczak said she was brought into a fact-finding meeting on June 20 relating to her Facebook comment. That comment was below a CUPE Facebook post about a rally being organized in support of Palestine.
About 20 minutes after that meeting, Grzejszczak said she was informed she was fired.
The speed of the firing is concerning to CUPE, Ontario municipal workers chair Krista Laing said. She noted that the process seemed to begin at the behest of York Region politicians, with Vaughan Councillor Gila Martow stating that she and Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca raised the concern to York Region after hearing concerns from constituents.
“No investigations, no proper workplace process, and it took less than 48 hours for York Region to fire Katherine at the request of politicians who thought it was OK to interfere in a personnel matter. Since when do politicians get to fire municipal workers? Since when do elected officials get to ignore our collective agreements?” Laing said.
NewmarketToday did not receive a reply to a request for comment from Del Duca before publication deadline.
Asked to comment on the news conference, York Region director of corporate communications Patrick Casey provided the same statement he did following the firing June 20 and said the region’s comment has not changed.
“York Region became aware of an employee allegedly posting concerning comments on social media,” he said. “Maintaining public safety and confidence is of utmost importance to York Region.”
Organizations including Independent Jewish Voices of Canada and the Health Workers Alliance for Palestine spoke out in support of Grzejszczak during the news conference and said criticizing Israel’s actions in Gaza does not constitute antisemitism, and that the incidents referred to in Grzejszczak’s Facebook post have been documented.
Centre for Free Expression senior fellow Daniel J. Paré said, regardless of how you feel about the Facebook comment, whether you completely support Israel or Palestine, an employee getting fired for such a post is a concern.
He noted the comment did not identify her employer.
“Let’s be clear, there has been no suggestion that Katherine’s political beliefs have ever resulted in any inappropriate treatment of any patient,” he said. “Whether one agrees or disagrees with the content of the Facebook post, she was exercising her Charter-protected right of freedom of expression. It was her rights being violated.”
Employees share feelings of fear
In a separate interview, a Muslim employee at the Regional Municipality of York said that the firing has resulted in substantial concern in the workplace. The employee requested their name be withheld for fear that speaking out could be a threat to their job.
They said many employees have posted in support of Israel on social media, but have not received any review or condemnation from management that they are aware of.
“It’s like a chilling effect. Everyone is afraid to post anything for losing their job,” they said.
They added that as far as they know, the York Region policy on outside social media only says not to identify yourself as a regional employee in making comments.
They said colleagues feel there has been a rise of Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism in York Region’s workplaces.
“I am hoping that Katherine is reinstated. I am also hoping that the region puts in an effort to kind of walk the talk of inclusion and actually implement measures to tackle this Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism in the workplace,” they said.
A Toronto paramedic also spoke out about the firing. They said they sought to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal, but wanted to speak out as Grzejszczak had helped them when they started paramedic school.
The paramedic said they were shocked by Grzejszczak’s firing and that it has had ramifications in the paramedic sector outside of York Region.
“There’s a large degree of fear. A lot of people are very concerned to speak out in support of Katherine, to speak out in opposition to the genocide unfolding in Gaza,” he said. “Their worst fears of being targeted and punished for these views have been reinforced through what they’ve seen happen to Katherine.”
They said that paramedics are talking about organizing to support Grzejszczak.
But the whole issue reinforces the need for employees to be more cautious on social media, they said.
“This has been a longtime thing with employers looking at social media and viewing social media posts as an extension of the workplace,” they said, adding that the idea that such a post could impact a paramedic in the workplace is offensive. “Any paramedic across Ontario can tell you that we meet individuals at their worst moments, and we do not have to be friends with them to treat them well. We do not have to agree with their actions to treat them with dignity and respect.”
Grzejszczak has spent the last few years on union leave, working as a president for the local bargaining unit, helping lead several protests and job actions against York Region during that time. She had been preparing a return to active duty as a paramedic before her firing happened.
She said it is vital to show solidarity with Palestinians, as well as workers speaking out in support of them.
“I express my solidarity with all the workers who have been fired, disciplined and harassed in their workplaces for simply opposing genocide, for insisting that Palestinians are human,” she said.
Friends of Katherine 