Histadrut to the National Labor Court: It's hard to calm them down so long as the cabinet decision is operative.
"The workers in the field organized an immediate spontaneous protest, and it is hard to calm them down so long as the cabinet decision is operative," the Histadrut (General Federation of Labor in Israel) told the National Labor Court today. The Histadrut is trying to explain why the ports workers are disrupting operations at Israel's seaports before a formally declared labor dispute can come into effect.
This evening, National Labor Court President Judge Steve Adler will hear a petition by the Manufacturers Association of Israel for an injunction ordering an end to the disruptions at the ports. Hundreds of employees of Ashdod Port Company Ltd. and Haifa Port Company Ltd. are expected to demonstrate outside the courthouse.
Last week, the Histadrut declared a labor dispute at the ports after the cabinet approved an item in the 2009 economics arrangement bill giving Israel Ports Development & Assets Company Ltd. landlord rights to the ports properties. This is ostensibly a breach of the ports reform agreement which is valid through 2015, which stipulates that the Ports Development & Assets Company will only own the ports' assets.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on September 2, 2008
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