Israel Railways workers are on strike Friday to protest the privatization of the railway. The strike was announced Wednesday evening following the breakdown of talks between Israel Railways management and workers representatives.
“Every issue can be solved by talking,” urged Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, who said that there is still a chance that the strike can be averted.
Hundreds of thousands of people use Israel’s rail system to travel on a daily basis. Friday, though a day off for many, is particularly busy as the nation’s soldiers use the trains to travel home for furloughs.
High Schools Hold “Warning” Strike
Teachers of high school and junior-high students announced a strike earlier this week that was cancelled by the Labor Court. A one-day “warning strike” took place Thursday and most of the country’s schools of those grades remained closed.
The teachers say the Finance Ministry refuses to seriously negotiate with them and has backtracked on a promise from January 24 to engage in daily, extensive and serious negotiations. The teachers union responsible for the rest of the grades in Israel’s schools says it will wait and see if the Finance Ministry improves its responsiveness in the coming weeks before launching a prolonged strike.
The teachers are demanding a new wage agreement to replace the one that expired in 2005.
Electric Company Strike Looms
It was announced Wednesday that the Israel Electric Company (IEC) had gone on strike and would not be answering calls to repair anything aside from malfunctions in medical facilities. “We will not even repair traffic lights,” Army Radio quoted an official leading the strike saying.
The Haifa Labor Court, however, ordered the workers back to work before any major power outages took place and prevented them from striking again before March 11.
The workers are protesting the Knesset’s decision to impose sweeping reforms on the bloated high-paid company. The Labor Court judge ordered the reforms frozen as well, until the March 11 deadline, before which it is hoped the two sides can hammer out a negotiated compromise.
The reforms, which were the result of an extensive examination of the operation of the IEC, entail splitting up the massive company into several firms responsible for the various aspects of electricity production by 2013. They also call for privatization of 49 % of the company, which currently shoulders a debt of 45 billion shekels and has one of the highest average employee salaries in Israel.
It is unclear whether the government will freeze the reforms as called for by the Labor Court, which does not have the jurisdiction to order the government to follow its suggestions.
Minister of Infrastructure Binyamin Ben-Eliezer (Labor) says that it is in the IEC’s best interest to allow the reforms to go forward in an expedient manner. “If the bill is not approved by then, privatization of the company will begin next Saturday evening, when the IEC's license expires," he told Army Radio. “The Knesset bill will be much more favorable to the IEC’s employees than the complete privatization that will occur without it.”
Universities Declare Strike
Student group from Israel’s major universities, together with the professors’ union, announced Thursday that they would not allow the second semester to begin on Sunday as scheduled.
The students and faculty are protesting the Shochat Committee, which they say is but a fig leaf to pass the complete privatization of higher education in Israel, as is being recommended by the Finance Ministry.
“Every issue can be solved by talking,” urged Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, who said that there is still a chance that the strike can be averted.
Hundreds of thousands of people use Israel’s rail system to travel on a daily basis. Friday, though a day off for many, is particularly busy as the nation’s soldiers use the trains to travel home for furloughs.
High Schools Hold “Warning” Strike
Teachers of high school and junior-high students announced a strike earlier this week that was cancelled by the Labor Court. A one-day “warning strike” took place Thursday and most of the country’s schools of those grades remained closed.
The teachers say the Finance Ministry refuses to seriously negotiate with them and has backtracked on a promise from January 24 to engage in daily, extensive and serious negotiations. The teachers union responsible for the rest of the grades in Israel’s schools says it will wait and see if the Finance Ministry improves its responsiveness in the coming weeks before launching a prolonged strike.
The teachers are demanding a new wage agreement to replace the one that expired in 2005.
Electric Company Strike Looms
It was announced Wednesday that the Israel Electric Company (IEC) had gone on strike and would not be answering calls to repair anything aside from malfunctions in medical facilities. “We will not even repair traffic lights,” Army Radio quoted an official leading the strike saying.
The Haifa Labor Court, however, ordered the workers back to work before any major power outages took place and prevented them from striking again before March 11.
The workers are protesting the Knesset’s decision to impose sweeping reforms on the bloated high-paid company. The Labor Court judge ordered the reforms frozen as well, until the March 11 deadline, before which it is hoped the two sides can hammer out a negotiated compromise.
The reforms, which were the result of an extensive examination of the operation of the IEC, entail splitting up the massive company into several firms responsible for the various aspects of electricity production by 2013. They also call for privatization of 49 % of the company, which currently shoulders a debt of 45 billion shekels and has one of the highest average employee salaries in Israel.
It is unclear whether the government will freeze the reforms as called for by the Labor Court, which does not have the jurisdiction to order the government to follow its suggestions.
Minister of Infrastructure Binyamin Ben-Eliezer (Labor) says that it is in the IEC’s best interest to allow the reforms to go forward in an expedient manner. “If the bill is not approved by then, privatization of the company will begin next Saturday evening, when the IEC's license expires," he told Army Radio. “The Knesset bill will be much more favorable to the IEC’s employees than the complete privatization that will occur without it.”
Universities Declare Strike
Student group from Israel’s major universities, together with the professors’ union, announced Thursday that they would not allow the second semester to begin on Sunday as scheduled.
The students and faculty are protesting the Shochat Committee, which they say is but a fig leaf to pass the complete privatization of higher education in Israel, as is being recommended by the Finance Ministry.