The Histadrut (General Labor Federation of Israel) has declared a general strike of Israel’s public sector workers starting Wednesday morning, December 23. The strike, the call for which comes as the union continues to negotiate with the Finance Ministry for wage hikes, will encompass a range of government offices as well as all public schools and public transportation in many cities, the airports, port authorities, universities and government-owned cultural centers such as the Israel Museum.

Workers’ representatives in the Histadrut authorized last week a call for a general strike in the public sector. (Photo: Histadrut)

“The Histadrut will not be complicit in an attempt to turn workers’ groups against one another,” said Histadrut chief Avi Nissankoren in the announcement of the strike. “The strike isn’t the goal but rather the means with which to give voice to some one million workers who can’t make ends meet. It’s high time the country cared for the weak and the working class.” The grounds for the dispute are the refusal of the Treasury to update public sector wages in accordance with the organization’s demands as well as the impasse in negotiations over a new wage agreement for public employees.

In Jerusalem, some 2,000 protesters, gathered on Monday outside the Finance Ministry, shouting “we’re not making ends meet.” Joint List MK Dov Khenin (Hadash) speaking before the demonstrators said “There is not a strike or protest more justified than this one.” A recent poverty report that showed 18.8% of Israeli families live in poverty, he said, demonstrated the need to increase salaries. “Social workers, nurses, teachers and many other workers in the public sector do not receive an appropriate salary given the important and difficult work they do. The strike the Histradrut has called is both justified and correctly timed,” he added.

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Histadrut to Decide When to Start Strike as Pay Hike Talks Stall