After 2,000 electricity workers protested outside of the Cabinet meeting yesterday, Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) (TASE: ELEC.B22) CEO Eli Glickman instructed the company to immediately appeal to the Labor Court, due to an immediate danger to Israel's electricity supply.
Over the past two days, workers refrained from fixing breakdowns at power stations, totaling 3,000 megawatts, and also halted the production of electricity at the coal units, totaling 3,500 megawatts. These plants account for about 50% of the industry’s production capacity.
Due to the real danger of power outages around Israel, the CEO instructed that the company immediately appeal to the Labor Court.
Glickman said, “As an essential service provider, not a single IEC worker has the privilege of protesting at the expense of the Israeli public and the Israeli economy. The court must reach a verdict immediately, and return the management reigns to the company CEO.”
IEC Chairman Yiftah Ron-Tal said, “I instructed the company management to adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards the wild and irresponsible behavior of the workers’ committee. It is clear to all parties that the company needs comprehensive reform, but that the protest activities have gone out of control, and this is not the way to reach the requisite stability for the State’s electricity market. I again call upon the workers to immediately end the strike.”
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 29, 2014
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