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http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/840314.html
March 21, 2007
Histadrut labor federation Chairman Ofer Eini announcing the
strike on Tuesday. (Alon Ron)
General strike ends after Histadrut, gov't reach deal
By Haim Bior, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and The
Associated Press
The government and the Histadrut labor federation on Wednesday
afternoon reached a deal to end a crippling day-long public sector
strike, winning compensation for thousands of unpaid municipal
workers.
"I hearby announce that the strike is over and all workers can go back
to their jobs," said Histadrut chairman Ofer Eini. "The employees will
be paid today or tomorrow."
Advertisement
The Finance Ministry confirmed that a deal had been struck "solving
the problem of the unpaid wages" and that Eini has agreed to several
of the government's bridging proposals.
"The government did everything so that this painful problem would be
solved and not recur. As we promised, the workers will receive their
wages and the economy will continue booming," Finance Minister Abraham
Hirchson said in a statement.
Labor unions launched a general strike early on Wednesday, stopping
international flights and shutting many vital public services, such as
rail and bus services. Unions were protesting over a lingering problem
of unpaid municipal workers.
According to the deal, which was based on an outline drafted by Prime
Minister's Office Director-General Ra'anan Dinur, the Histadrut will
transfer funds to 10 local authorities before the official recovery
agreement is signed.
Earlier Wednesday, a senior Histadrut official predicted a speedy end
to the strike that took hold at 9 A.M. after the collapse of
last-minute overnight talks between the unions and government aimed at
averting the industrial action.
But the head of the Histadrut's situation room, Jihad Akel, told
Haaretz Online at around noon Wednesday that he believed that, "there
will be an agreement within a matter of hours that allow us to end the
strike."
Unofficial talks between the state and the Histadrut continued once
the strike had begun, even after Eini stormed out of the talks early
Wednesday, saying the government had failed to guarantee salary
payments for the 3,700 local authority employees whose wages have been
withheld.
Eini and Dinur spent most of Wednesday in negotiations, and talks have
been ongoing at lower levels.
The government, meanwhile, is continuing the transfer of salary
payments to local authorities, and there has been significant drop in
the number of municipal employees who have still not been paid.
Eini is now waiting on government documentation proving that the
monies have been transferred to the workers.
The strike caused the closure of all local authorities, except for
departments dealing with special education. In addition, all
government ministries, with the exception of the Defense Ministry,
were closed to the public. The National Insurance Institute, the
Employment Service, the Israel Land Administration, the vehicle
licensing office, and the land registration office were also shut.
There was no train service, nor were planes allowed land or take off
at Ben-Gurion International Airport. Sea ports were also shut down.
Bank of Israel employees imposed sanctions, although ATMs were to be
restocked with cash. Health services and the security services, banks
and the stock exchange operated as usual.
The National Labor Court has yet to rule on the state's petition for
an injunction against the strike. Israel Radio said that the court is
expected to rule on the matter within a short time.
The state argued that the strike was unjustified given the progress
that has been made in negotiations on the issue.
The state informed the court Wednesday morning that only 10 local
authorities and three religious councils have yet to receive state
funds in order to pay their employees, promising that those bodies
would receive the funds by Thursday.
In addition, the state said the government would discuss sanctions
against local authorities that fail to pay their employees' wages, a
key Histadrut demand, during the next cabinet meeting.
During Eini and Dinur's intensive overnight negotiations, the
Histadrut agreed to take responsibility for part of the solution to
the crisis and grant loans to local authorities that the government is
unable to pay.
According to the proposal, the Histadrut would grant loans totaling
millions of shekels to 625 employees in 10 local authorities which are
worst-hit by financial difficulties.
But Eini said Wednesday morning that the government "was not willing
to say unequivocally that every worker would be paid today. We will
not agree to lees than this. We must put an end to this issue once and
for all."
"It is unacceptable that in a properly functioning country employees
go to work and don't get paid," said Eini. "The prime minister
promised a complete solution and when I say a complete solution, that
means until the last employee [is paid]."
Dinur also gave the Histadrut documents showing the government had
transferred funds to 20 local authorities for the purpose of paying
employees.
The government has transferred NIS 175 million to local authorities in
the past two months, including NIS 85 million during the past two
weeks, although not all of the funds were used to pay employees - in
part because some of the money was used to pay off authorities' debts.
The government agreed to amend the Municipalities Law such that an
emergency committee would be formed to take over control of any local
authority that fails to pay a quarter of its employees for two months.
Eini asked for the public's forgiveness Wednesday morning, but said
that the issue of employees' wages is a matter of principle and called
on Israel's citizens to "show restraint and patience."
England fans can land
All flights from England will be allowed to land in Ben-Gurion
Airport, general strike notwithstanding, a senior Histadrut official
told Haaretz last night after attending a meeting between Eini and the
heads of large unions.
The chairman of the Israel Football Association, Avi Luzon, succeeded
on Tuesday in persuading Eini to permit the English fans to land in
Israel despite the strike, contrary to the labor federation chief's
earlier decision to allow only the English team to land.
On Tuesday, Eini met Airport Authority Chairman Pinhas Idan, and the
two decided not to deny thousands of England fans to attend the game
in Ramat Gan.
"We're expecting from 5,000 to 7,000 English fans to arrive in an
airlift from England," a senior Histadrut official said. "We will
prepare accordingly. They will all be well treated in spite of the
strike. We won't tarnish Israel's image in Europe and won't hinder the
huge celebration planned here," he said.
2007 Haaretz.
March 21, 2007
Histadrut labor federation Chairman Ofer Eini announcing the
strike on Tuesday. (Alon Ron)
General strike ends after Histadrut, gov't reach deal
By Haim Bior, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and The
Associated Press
The government and the Histadrut labor federation on Wednesday
afternoon reached a deal to end a crippling day-long public sector
strike, winning compensation for thousands of unpaid municipal
workers.
"I hearby announce that the strike is over and all workers can go back
to their jobs," said Histadrut chairman Ofer Eini. "The employees will
be paid today or tomorrow."
Advertisement
The Finance Ministry confirmed that a deal had been struck "solving
the problem of the unpaid wages" and that Eini has agreed to several
of the government's bridging proposals.
"The government did everything so that this painful problem would be
solved and not recur. As we promised, the workers will receive their
wages and the economy will continue booming," Finance Minister Abraham
Hirchson said in a statement.
Labor unions launched a general strike early on Wednesday, stopping
international flights and shutting many vital public services, such as
rail and bus services. Unions were protesting over a lingering problem
of unpaid municipal workers.
According to the deal, which was based on an outline drafted by Prime
Minister's Office Director-General Ra'anan Dinur, the Histadrut will
transfer funds to 10 local authorities before the official recovery
agreement is signed.
Earlier Wednesday, a senior Histadrut official predicted a speedy end
to the strike that took hold at 9 A.M. after the collapse of
last-minute overnight talks between the unions and government aimed at
averting the industrial action.
But the head of the Histadrut's situation room, Jihad Akel, told
Haaretz Online at around noon Wednesday that he believed that, "there
will be an agreement within a matter of hours that allow us to end the
strike."
Unofficial talks between the state and the Histadrut continued once
the strike had begun, even after Eini stormed out of the talks early
Wednesday, saying the government had failed to guarantee salary
payments for the 3,700 local authority employees whose wages have been
withheld.
Eini and Dinur spent most of Wednesday in negotiations, and talks have
been ongoing at lower levels.
The government, meanwhile, is continuing the transfer of salary
payments to local authorities, and there has been significant drop in
the number of municipal employees who have still not been paid.
Eini is now waiting on government documentation proving that the
monies have been transferred to the workers.
The strike caused the closure of all local authorities, except for
departments dealing with special education. In addition, all
government ministries, with the exception of the Defense Ministry,
were closed to the public. The National Insurance Institute, the
Employment Service, the Israel Land Administration, the vehicle
licensing office, and the land registration office were also shut.
There was no train service, nor were planes allowed land or take off
at Ben-Gurion International Airport. Sea ports were also shut down.
Bank of Israel employees imposed sanctions, although ATMs were to be
restocked with cash. Health services and the security services, banks
and the stock exchange operated as usual.
The National Labor Court has yet to rule on the state's petition for
an injunction against the strike. Israel Radio said that the court is
expected to rule on the matter within a short time.
The state argued that the strike was unjustified given the progress
that has been made in negotiations on the issue.
The state informed the court Wednesday morning that only 10 local
authorities and three religious councils have yet to receive state
funds in order to pay their employees, promising that those bodies
would receive the funds by Thursday.
In addition, the state said the government would discuss sanctions
against local authorities that fail to pay their employees' wages, a
key Histadrut demand, during the next cabinet meeting.
During Eini and Dinur's intensive overnight negotiations, the
Histadrut agreed to take responsibility for part of the solution to
the crisis and grant loans to local authorities that the government is
unable to pay.
According to the proposal, the Histadrut would grant loans totaling
millions of shekels to 625 employees in 10 local authorities which are
worst-hit by financial difficulties.
But Eini said Wednesday morning that the government "was not willing
to say unequivocally that every worker would be paid today. We will
not agree to lees than this. We must put an end to this issue once and
for all."
"It is unacceptable that in a properly functioning country employees
go to work and don't get paid," said Eini. "The prime minister
promised a complete solution and when I say a complete solution, that
means until the last employee [is paid]."
Dinur also gave the Histadrut documents showing the government had
transferred funds to 20 local authorities for the purpose of paying
employees.
The government has transferred NIS 175 million to local authorities in
the past two months, including NIS 85 million during the past two
weeks, although not all of the funds were used to pay employees - in
part because some of the money was used to pay off authorities' debts.
The government agreed to amend the Municipalities Law such that an
emergency committee would be formed to take over control of any local
authority that fails to pay a quarter of its employees for two months.
Eini asked for the public's forgiveness Wednesday morning, but said
that the issue of employees' wages is a matter of principle and called
on Israel's citizens to "show restraint and patience."
England fans can land
All flights from England will be allowed to land in Ben-Gurion
Airport, general strike notwithstanding, a senior Histadrut official
told Haaretz last night after attending a meeting between Eini and the
heads of large unions.
The chairman of the Israel Football Association, Avi Luzon, succeeded
on Tuesday in persuading Eini to permit the English fans to land in
Israel despite the strike, contrary to the labor federation chief's
earlier decision to allow only the English team to land.
On Tuesday, Eini met Airport Authority Chairman Pinhas Idan, and the
two decided not to deny thousands of England fans to attend the game
in Ramat Gan.
"We're expecting from 5,000 to 7,000 English fans to arrive in an
airlift from England," a senior Histadrut official said. "We will
prepare accordingly. They will all be well treated in spite of the
strike. We won't tarnish Israel's image in Europe and won't hinder the
huge celebration planned here," he said.
2007 Haaretz.
