The first crack has been appeared in the free electricity benefit that Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) workers have enjoyed since the corporation was founded. Sources inform "Globes" that Miko Zarfati, chairman of the IEC workers committee national secretariat, has reached agreement with IEC management on limiting the reimbursement to tenured employees for their electricity expenses before they received tenure. However, the agreement has not so far been raised before the national secretariat, because of the strong opposition that it arouses.
Under historical arrangements, IEC workers received tenure six months after starting work, and from that time they are also entitled to free electricity. In recent years, tenure has been deferred, and it is now given after five of ten years. Under the collective agreement, when they are granted tenure, workers are repaid all their electricity expenses from the day they began work, apart from the first six months.
A few months ago, the IEC management initiated a new arrangement limiting the period for which workers given tenure will receive electricity reimbursements to five years. This means a 50% reduction in rebates to which workers who receive tenure after ten years will be entitled.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on May 2, 2010
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