Overview
- An ADL report published Aug. 27, 2026 surveyed 307 Jewish union members in 24 states and found more than 70% feared career or reputational harm for raising concerns about antisemitism.
- The survey found 73% of respondents said they felt compelled to self‑censor in union spaces and 47% reduced participation in union activities because of rhetoric targeting Jews, Zionists or Israel.
- Among members who reported problems to leadership, 69% said they were not satisfied with the response and many described biased programming, use of 'Zionist' as a slur, and instances of minimization or denial of the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks.
- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission opened an investigation into the National Education Association in June over alleged failures to address antisemitism, and recent NEA Representative Assembly measures have won cautious praise even as many members press for clearer guardrails and balanced education.
- The report’s sample is limited and not fully generalizable, but it adds detailed first‑hand accounts of fear and calls for concrete reforms that could prompt changes in union policies, training, leadership practices and federal enforcement efforts.