Histadrut (General Federation of Labor in Israel) chairman Avi Nissenkorn today again threatened a public sector general strike starting Tuesday in the controversy over public broadcasting in Israel.
Nissenkorn was repeating his threats in the media from last Tuesday and two weeks ago, hinting at either a deadlock in the negotiations with the state on employment terms for broadcasting workers or the ongoing election campaign for leadership of the Histadrut, in which Nissenkorn is running against MK Shelly Yachimovich (Zionist Union).
In order to attract the attention of public and policymakers, Nissenkorn today listed the institutions and companies that would be included if the strike takes place on Tuesday. "If no fitting last-minute solution is found for the workers in the Israel Broadcasting Association (IBA) and the Israel Broadcasting Corporation (IBC), a general strike will begin on Tuesday in the entire public sector," the Histadrut announcement stated.
The Histradrut is complaining about "abuse of the IBA and IBC workers, while dividing these workers against each other."
In response to Nissenkorn's threats, Yachimovich said, "The threats to put the economy on strike are the least credible threats ever made. They are due solely to the Histadrut chairman's fear about the results of the Histadrut elections on Many 23. It is calculated and carefully timed measures cooked up with the Minister of Finance, Nissenkorn's wasteful partner in the Histadrut coalition. We know what the result will be: just before the strike, or immediately after it begins, a dubious wondrous solution already agreed by them will be found, and in any case, nothing will change the depressing state of the hundreds of workers being fired and the reckless behavior by both the government and the Histadrut chairman."
The strike would include government ministries, the Jerusalem, Haifa and Tel Aviv municpalities, universities, government hospitals, government defense companies, Bezeq, Egged, Dan and the Jerusalem light rail.
Published by Globes [online], Israel Business News - www.globes-online.com - on April 23, 2017
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