Serious Allegations: MAHAR Union Chair Failed to Address Sexual Harassment

Recordings, documents, and testimonies that have reached Israel Hayom paint a disturbing picture regarding the conduct within the MAHAR union, a body operating under the Histadrut that represents academics in the fields of social sciences and humanities. According to the material in our possession, MAHAR chair Alexandra Krushinski was aware of complaints of sexual harassment against employees, chose not to take appropriate measures, and at times even behaved toward the complainants in a manner that worsened their status.

According to a report prepared by attorney Ayala Honigman for the Histadrut, a manager in the organization made comments of a sexual nature toward two employees. The report notes pornographic references and inappropriate suggestions that touched on the employees' sex lives and included proposals for personal relationships.

These complaints reached MAHAR chair Krushinski, according to Honigman's report, and instead of dealing with the issue, she lashed out at the two complaining employees with harsh words, threatened to fire them, and noted that she would give full backing to the manager.

It also emerges from the report that the chair, instead of protecting the complainants or ensuring an objective investigation, attributed sexual conduct to them, spread rumors concerning their personal lives, used humiliating language, and bullied them. This conduct, according to the report's findings, exacerbated the harm to the complainants instead of protecting them.

Honigman wrote explicitly that she trusts the version of the two employees. Regarding Krushinski, she wrote: "The chair's conduct throughout the investigation process is inappropriate and severe. This includes harsh defamation of the two employees, the presentation of gossip, an attempt to cast aspersions on their personal conduct, harm to their employment conditions, and threats of dismissal, all against the backdrop of filing the complaint."

However, the report itself was not adopted by the Histadrut's internal court, and regarding the manager, the accusations of sexual harassment and sexual comments were dismissed.

Testimonies and recordings

The employees who filed the complaints claim that their approach to chair Krushinski did not receive proper treatment. According to the recordings, instead of protecting the complainants or opening an independent investigation, Krushinski directed offensive language toward them and threatened their dismissal.

According to testimonies that reached Israel Hayom, Krushinski, who speaks highly of democracy, led a very rigid regime including vulgar language and the use of profanity, as well as a violent and aggressive work environment. "Quite a few employees were fired, and she talks about democracy. A joke. It was a dictatorship," said an employee who asked that her name not be published.

Recordings provided to Israel Hayom include harsh statements by Krushinski toward employees, including the attribution of intimate relationships, engagement in the sex life and pregnancy of an employee, and the spreading of rumors. In one recording, Krushinski is heard saying: "I don't give a f***, I don't care who sleeps with whom... you want a room with this employee? Take a room with him."

In another recording, there is a reference to events at a seminar in Rome: "I will tell you one last time - I spoke to you about the employees, you were at a seminar in Rome, everyone thought you were married." The employee pushed back, saying she was pregnant, to which Krushinski answered: "Everyone thought you were pregnant by him."

One of the cases described is an invitation by the chair to a "room with a jacuzzi" in Eilat, while employees were present. This created a sense of discomfort and an improper work environment.

The Law for the Prevention of Sexual Harassment prohibits degrading or humiliating references directed at a person in relation to their gender or sexuality, and prohibits harassment of anyone who filed a complaint.

Krushinski dismissed

About a week ago, Histadrut chair Arnon Bar-David decided to dismiss Krushinski from her position. MAHAR employs about 55,000 workers, and for years it has been considered a unique body in the Histadrut structure.

Manager's response: "Whoever passed on the report knows very well that this recommendation was completely rejected by the Histadrut's judicial instance. The attempt to make distorted use of this report is an unfair attempt to harm me unjustly. The results of the judicial process were clear, and no trace remained of the sexual accusations, which were completely dismissed within the framework of the long and exhaustive judicial process."

"The entire process, including the investigation process of attorney Honigman, is under a gag order. However, I repeat and say - no trace remained of all the accusations or claims of any sexual context. Hence, all the findings and recommendations of attorney Honigman were rejected."

Krushinski did not provide a further response.