The path to the first collective agreement in Israel’s mobile telephony sector is open. After four months of almost unprecedented opposition, the management of Pelephone on Sunday evening recognized the Histadrut (General Federation of Labor in Israel) as the union representing the mobile carrier’s workers. Management made the decision after counting the employees’ union application forms, together with Histadrut representatives.

A Pelephone workers demonstration on Sunday (Photo: Pelephone Union)

In a joint statement yesterday, the parties said, “Pelephone’s management and the Histadrut announced that an examination of the forms carried out by Pelephone today found that there was the third necessary by law for the purpose of representation at the company. Pelephone therefore announces that it recognizes the Histadrut as the representative union at Pelephone. The parties will enter into negotiations on a collective agreement. The strike is over immediately and the employees will return to regular work tomorrow.” Histadrut as the representative body and an immediate stop was ordered to the 4 weeks-old strike by about 800 employees. The strikers returned to work, Monday morning, and the sides will now start negotiations on a collective bargaining agreement.

The company’s chairman and controlling shareholder, Shaul Elovitch make an U-turn after the National Labor Court’s precedent-setting ruling last Wednesday in the Pelephone hearing, stating that an employer does not have the right to object to unionization by its employees, including expressing a position on the matter.

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