The Israel Broadcasting Authority’s (IBA) television and radio stations launched a strike Monday against a government bill that would dismantle the entity and lay off 2,000 workers. All programming on Israel Radio was suspended until further notice beginning 4 p.m., while TV Channels 1 and 33 canceled broadcasts through Tuesday morning, running the statement “IBA workers are protesting the decision to close the broadcasting authority and sending 2,000 employees home,” on a continuous loop.
Moshe Segev, chairman of Channel 1′s engineers and technicians committee, said Sunday, “It makes no sense and is not fair to demand of thousands of families that they pay the price of the IBA’s administrative failures.” He added that “we are not opposed to reform, but we are in favor of all reform being implemented responsibly, with consultation with representatives of the Histadrut and workers.” Segev charged the Finance Ministry with displaying apathy toward the soon-to-be fired workers. “We are taking to the streets to shout the cries of our families and to stir the decision makers,” he said. Earlier Monday, hundreds of employees rallied outside the Finance Ministry. After years of protracted negotiations, an agreement was finally reached by all sides. But, the Finance Ministry, in April 2012, reneged on the agreement, which had included large-scale, well-compensated dismissals and the sale of the bulk of IBA property. This was designed to make the IBA profitable, and thereby take significant steps towards reform.
Workers from Channel 1 protest outside the Knesset (Photo: Histadrut)
Protesters held aloft signs reading “Channel 1 for all, and all for 1,” and “Erdan, stop the media circus against us,” and urged Knesset members to oppose the bill to close the authority. The demonstrators blocked entry to the offices for a short while before being evacuated by police. The protesters were joined by members of the Journalists Association – Jerusalem and members of the Histadrut labor federation. Last Monday, the Knesset approved the first reading of the proposed neo-liberal legislation — sponsored by Communications minister Gilad Erdan — to abolish the IBA, with 33 MKs voting in favor, 14 agains (among them Hadash MKs), and two abstaining.
