Histadrut chairman Ofer Eini has thrown down the gauntlet and is girding for battle against the wave of price hikes. He sent the government an ultimatum today, saying that he will declare a labor dispute within a week, which will allow the Histadrut (General Federation of Labor in Israel) to launch a general strike two weeks later.
Commenting on water rates, Eini told Galei Tzahal (Israel Army Radio), "They took from the public and gave to the government not just to save water - the price of drinking water has risen almost 100%. This is oppression of the public by means of a commodity that it can't do without. They are raising the price of everything: fuel, bread, public transport, water. The time has come to say, enough. It's become impossible to live here."
Eini claims that the government opposes raising the minimum wage, despite the sharp price hikes, and says that this is graveyard of the middle class in Israeli society.
Yesterday, Eini met with the comrades in arms, Manufacturers Association president Shraga Brosh and Union of Local Authorities chairman Shlomo Bohbot, who has been leading the public fight against the hike in water rates in recent months. "We have linked up three key organizations in the country to finally tell the government, enough. Let us make this country a bit more fair," Eini said.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on February 7, 2011
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