Cellcom unionizes

IDB Holding Corp. Ltd. (TASE:IDBH) unit Cellcom Israel Ltd. (NYSE:CEL; TASE:CEL) has unionized. The mobile carrier's workers committee today notified management that it had signed up enough employees to establish a union. The Histadrut (General Federation of Labor in Israel) notified the carrier that it represents the employees.

Sponsored by the Histadrut, Cellcom's workers committee will enter into negotiations on a collective agreement. Cellcom follows the unionization at rival Pelephone Communications Ltd., where negotiations on a collective agreement are now underway.

Histadrut chairman Ofer Eini said, "The workers have stopped being suckers, and they are taking their fate into their own hands and unionizing. I say to employers, 'don�t be afraid of unions'. 70 workplaces are now unionizing."

Cellcom workers committee chairwoman Maya Yaniv said, "We're embarking on a new road to improve the workers' standing, and I am full of hope that we will receive cooperation from the company's management."

In a letter to employees, Cellcom CEO Nir Sztern said, "I ask each and every one of you during this interim stage to avoid confrontations and provocations between each other. Such confrontations harm the work environment which we love and are proud of, and harm the company's reputation and customers. For my part, I will do all that I can to matters to be clarified quickly and with full transparency."

Cellcom said in response, "The company has been notified by the Histadrut that one third of Cellcom-NetVision employees have joined its ranks. The company has also been notified from a group of workers which claims hundreds of cancellations. The company's management respects its employees and their right to unionize, and it has no intention or desire for a confrontation with any party. The CEO has instructed the VP of human resources to verify the signatures."

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on July 2, 2013