Histadrut Calls for General Public Sector Strike on Tuesday, April 25

A general strike of public sector workers has been called for next Tuesday, April 25, to protest the firing of hundreds of Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA) workers. Histadrut Labor Federation chairperson, Avi Nissenkorn, who announced the strike said he hopes that a fair solution will be found to resolve the dismissal of the IBA workers but, if not, a general strike is the only option to help the laid off workers. “An appropriate solution or a strike,” Nissenkorn said, adding, “In the past few weeks a cynical and painful game has been played on the backs of the workers. This painful matter must be brought to a close. Unless a solution is found, next Tuesday there will be a general strike in the entire public sector.”

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The Histadrut states that the proposed reforms in public broadcasting and the setting up of a new broadcasting body are matters that have clear consequences for labor relations and job security. “Although the planned changes are far reaching and have weighty consequences for labor relations and workers’ rights, the decisions on these changes have been made without any consultation with the workers’ representatives.”

The Histadrut’s statement refers to the Israel Broadcasting Corporation (Kan), which was supposed to have replaced the existing Israel Broadcasting Authority on January 1 this year, resulting in layoffs for many IBA employees. At the initiative of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is also minister of communications, the start of operations of  the new Israel Broadcasting Corporation was postponed to April 30. Meanwhile, Netanyahu and Minister of Finance Moshe Kahlon have agreed on proposals to change the format of the broadcasting body, among other things by setting up a separate public news and current affairs broadcaster. The postponement and changes have caused uncertainty for the employees of both the old and new public broadcasting bodies.

In its statement, the Histadrut complains of “abuse of the employees of the Israel Broadcasting Authority and the Israel Broadcasting Corporation, with incitement of each group of employees against the other.” The statement adds, “The Histadrut demands protection for the workers’ rights, particularly given the multiplicity of reforms and the fact that the workers have been left in constant uncertainty. The Histadrut demands an end to the employment of contract workers and no expansion of employment in this harmful format.”

The new news corporation will absorb 160 former IBA employees, who had already been transferred to Kan’s abortive news unit, plus 100 new hires from Kan. However, the total number of IBA staff to be taken on by the new news corporation remains unclear – prompting Nissenkorn’s strike decision.

Critics of Nissenkorn (a member of the Labor party) accused him of timing the strike to help him in his May 23 race to remain chairperson of the Histadrut. His opponent in the race, Labor MK Shelly Yacimovich, said Nissenkorn only cares about himself and not about the workers. “New records in cynicism are being broken,” Yacimovich said. “After three years of Nissenkorn abandoning the IBA workers, no one believes they really matter to him.” Yacimovich said that the calling of the strike is especially hypocritical because Nissenkorn had made a political deal with Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon.

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