Exclusive | CUNY demands Labor School honcho step down immediately after spreading antisemitic conspiracy theories about Israel

CUNY on Monday demanded that the board chairman of its School of Labor and Urban Studies resign immediately for spreading “antisemitic conspiracy theories” about Israel.Arthur Cheliotes, 76, posted theories and lies that Israel was in on or welcomed Hamas’ Oct.7, 2023, terror massacre as a “pretext” to take over the Gaza strip, critics had fumed to The Post.He also posted an online thread that compared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler.“CUNY has zero tolerance for any type of hate,’’ the public university system of New York City said in a statement released on behalf of its chancellor, Felix Matos-Rodriguez.“The outrageous comments endorsed by Arthur Cheliotes, who leads an independent 501(c)3 organization that is not governed by the CUNY Administration, promote dangerous antisemitic conspiracies that have no place in CUNY or anywhere else,” the statement said.“He needs to step down immediately.”Cheliotes, president of the Communication Workers of America Local 1180 for 39 years, was a pivotal figure in helping create the CUNY “social justice” Labor School and other programs that preceded it.The position he currently holds is volunteer.But the labor honcho had become a potential liability for CUNY as the Trump administration investigates Ivy League schools such as Columbia University and Harvard for failing to crack down on antisemitism.Cheliotes’ behavior  puts CUNY at risk of being the subject of a civil right probe, sources said.The controversy over his peddling pro-Hamas and anti-Israel talking points had already become fodder on the local campaign trail, with ex-Gov.

and current mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo saying Cheliotes has to go.“Arthur Cheliotes absolutely should not be allowed to stay and poison CUNY’s well with antisemitic conspiracies — he should resign immediately, or be removed,” said Cuomo campaign spokesman Richard Azzopardi.“Additionally, he was the longtime head of CWA 1180 – i...