Israel’s Histadrut federation, the country’s largest labor organization, said a general strike planned for Wednesday, February 8, would include banks, railways, ports and the stock exchange. The Bank of Israel will also be shut if the strike goes ahead, the federation said.
Histadrut spokesperson declared Monday that a general strike would begin tomorrow at 6 a.m., “unless his labor federation and the Treasury reach an agreement before then on the employment status of contract workers”.
National Labor Court President Nili Arad lifted an injunction on the strike last week, saying there was no choice but to declare that negotiations had reached a deadlock. The court first ordered the Histadrut, Treasury and employers to conduct negotiations after allowing the labor federation to hold a four-hour strike on November 7.
A strike could also be prevented if the High Court of Justice approves a petition submitted Monday by the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce (FICC) to reinstate the injunction. The court did not make an announcement Monday on when or whether it would hear the federation’s request.
FICC attorney Shlomi Loya wrote in the petition that the Histadrut had no right to strike over this issue, and that the labor federation was only using the strike as a tool in its fight to “strip employers of their basic rights.” The Histadrut “wishes to change the entire employment structure of the economy, preventing employers from deciding for themselves who to employ and from being able to adapt to changing economic circumstances,” he wrote.
In response to the petition, the National Union of Israeli Students (NUIS) asked the High Court to allow it to present the “public and social perspective” on the use of contract workers. “The students will fight on all fronts, including the legal front, with intention of eradicating this contemptible practice from the heart of Israeli society once and for all. The students will fight to the end any attempt to prevent an improvement in the status of contract workers,” NUIS Chairman Itzik Shmuli said.
A Communist Party of Israel spokesperson called workers to protest during the general strike and calling contract work humiliating, and saying it must be removed from this world. “The strike is the embodiment of solidarity and social justice. Unionized workers strike not for themselves, but for the weakest and poorest workers,” he added, calling contract work modern slavery.
The following institutions will be affected by the strike: Government Staff at all government ministries will strike. Staff at all municipalities will strike, but rescue and emergency services will continue to operate. Special education institutions run by the Welfare and Social Services Ministry and by municipalities will operate as usual.
Health
State-run, municipality-run and Hadassah Ein Kerem and Shaare Zedek hospitals will operate according to Shabbat timetables. Clalit, the largest of the four health services providers, will run hospital services according to a Shabbat timetable, but its medical clinics will go on strike. Magen David Adom will continue to respond to emergencies.
Education
Administrative and technical staff at the following institutes of higher learning will strike: Tel Aviv University, the Hebrew University, Ben-Gurion University, Bar-Ilan University, the University of Haifa, the Technion- Israel Institute of Technology, Open University, Weizmann Institute of Science, College of Management, Kibbutzim College of Education (Seminar Hakibbutzim). Strikes will also take place at the ORT and AMAL school networks. WIZO, Emunah and Na’amat daycare facilities will be closed.
Transportation
The Airports Authority will strike from 6 a.m. until noon, stopping work at Ben-Gurion Airport, although emergency flights will be allowed to operate. Haifa, Eilat and Ashdod seaports will strike, although Haifa will release perishable goods, medicine and all goods used to save lives. Israel Railways will strike.
Energy
Staff at the National Coal Supply Corporation and the Water Authority will strike.The Israel Electric Company, Oil Refineries and Mekorot national water company will operate according to Shabbat timetables.
Culture
The Israel Museum, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Beit Hatfutsot – The Museum of the Jewish People, Education Television (Channel 23) and the Habimah, Cameri and Beit Lessin theaters will all strike.
Banks
Staff at the following banks will strike: Leumi, Hapoalim, Beinleumi, Mizrahi-Tefahot, Discount Mortgage, Igud, Mercantile, Discount, Mahesh, Yahav, Massad, Idud, Arab-Israel, Makhish and Otsar Hahayal. Staff will also strike at the following institutions: the Israel Postal Company, Tel Aviv Securities Exchange, Mifal Hapayis national lottery, Amidar and Halamish housing companies
Working class-activists will hold a demonstration the same day in front of the Histadrut headquarters, Arlozoroff 93, Tel-Aviv at 5 p.m., in support the strike and against the current Labor’s Histadrut leadership. Among the demonstrators: Hadash and communists activists. “We want to see the Histadrut as a democratic and working class organization,” said one of the communist activists. Other demonstrations will be held in Jerusalem, at the National Labor Court and in Haifa.
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Israel general strike and demonstration in Tel Aviv on next wednesday
