This is a 1997 page, not updated since. We are keeping it on the net for historical reasons. However, for current labour news from Israel, click here.

General Strike in Israel: News Briefs

This site is being provided as a service to the Israeli and international trade union movements by Eric Lee, author of The Labour Movement and the Internet: The New Internationalism. The site will be updated about once a day, depending on need. It is not endorsed nor supported in any way by the Histadrut. At the present time, the Histadrut has no website of its own. Send feedback and news items to ericlee@labourstart.org.

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Last updated: Sunday, 28 September 1997 14:00 Israel Time

SUNDAY 28/9 - Third Edition

Strike over?

Radio reports here at 14:00 indicated that the Histadrut had decided to end the strike throughout the country except in the Haifa area, pursuant to the rulings of the National Labour Court.

Industrialists reported that in the private sector, only 15% of the workers stayed away.

The Government met and discussed the issues, promising to investigate further the problem of pensions. In addition, they expressed their full support for Finance Minister Ne'eman.

It is not clear what the Histadrut currently plans. We will keep you informed on this page. Check back later today.

SUNDAY 28/9 - Second Edition

Histadrut to decide whether to abide by court order

In another 3 hours -- at 13:00 -- the Histadrut's strike headquarters is due to meet with leaders of the works councils to discuss which sectors of the economy will continue to strike after 14:00. The National Labour Court ruled last night that many strikes would have to end at that hour. It will be recalled that the Histadrut has in the past ignored court orders and continued with strikes, leading late last year to the arrest of the head of the Trade Union Department, Shlomo Shani.

Shani: No reason to negotiate with government

Shani was quoted by Israel radio as saying that there is no point in continuing negotiations with the Finance Ministry until they showed serious interest in resolving the dispute.

State-owned media downplay strike

The 10:00 hourly news on Israel radio placed the strike a distant third after vastly more important items, like Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert's acquital of corruption charges, and the extension of the term of office of the chief of staff of the Israeli army. At a time when the largest strike in the country's history is taking place, one would have thought it might deserve slightly more attention than the fate of this or that politician or general.

SUNDAY 28/9

Largest strike in Israel's history begins this morning

The largest strike in Israel's history began this morning in protest against the anti-labour policies of the Netanyahu government.

The National Labour Court's suggestion that the Histadrut call off the strike and engage in marathon negotiations with the Finance Ministry was rejected by Histadrut chairman Amir Peretz.

The Court agreed to allow the unions to strike for 8 hours only, from 6:00 until 14:00 today. It was not clear at the time of this writing whether the Histadrut had agreed to abide by this limitation.

(Last winter, the Histadrut continued with protest strikes despite a court order, and the head of the Histadrut's trade union department, Shlomo Shani, was even -- briefly -- a fugitive on the run as he refused to show up for a scheduled court appearance. When Shani was finally arrested, the Histadrut shut down the country for several hours in protest until his release.)

The National Labour Court is due to resume discussion tomorrow on the strike.

The entire public sector in Israel is being shut down, including nearly all trains and busses, the airports and seaports, all government offices, hospitals, schools, and many industries. Nearly 700,000 workers are involved in the shutdown.

The main issue appears to be consistent government refusal to honor commitments made to the Histadrut, particularly in the area of pensions. The Histadrut has also expressed concern about the government's privatization program.

Several months ago, Prime Minister Netanyahu gave an interview where he defined his social and economic program as a "Thatcherite revolution".

Today, we are seeing the Histadrut's answer to that "revolution."

SATURDAY 27/9

9 hours to go --
and strike is still ON!

Though negotiations between the Finance Ministry and the Histadrut continue even tonight, at the present time it appears as though the strike scheduled for tomorrow morning at 6:00 is unstoppable.

It will be the largest strike in the history of Israel, with some 690,000 workers involved, primarily in the public sector, but also shutting down everything that moves in the country, including all the airports, seaports and trains.

Meanwhile, reporters are awaiting a statement by former Finance Minister Dan Meridor who is apparently set to confirm the Histadrut's assertion that the Netanyahu government is refusing to honor signed, legal and binding agreements.

The National Labour Court is set to rule this evening on requests made by the government and manufacturers to block the strike. But based on the experience of last January's strike wave when the Histadrut defied court orders, it is not clear that even this can stop the strike.

In the view of this writer, this strike poses the greatest threat and challenge to the Netanyahu government so far.

We'll have another update tomorrow morning unless some news breaks this evening.

FRIDAY 26/9 - Third Edition

Talks break off for Shabbat - no breakthrough achieved

Talks held this morning and afternoon between Finance Ministry and Histadrut officials ended with what analysts described as "no breakthrough" though both sides agreed to resume negotiations on Saturday evening, a bare 12 hours before the Histadrut deadline. Finance Ministry officials called on the Histadrut to show "responsibility" and hold off on the general strike until after the Rosh Hashana (New Year) holiday, which begins on Wednesday evening.

FRIDAY 26/9 - Second Edition

Some early feeback on this site

Readers are encouraged to let me know what they think about this website. Please send your comments to ericlee@labourstart.org.

Some letters received during our first 24 hours online:

Good work! - Edith Ohri, Israel

It would be also practical to know simply who is on strike when and where as a service to proletarians such as me who are dependent on the public transport system: will Egged and Dan be on strike too on Sunday? Trains? - Yudit, Israel

Keep up the good work. - N. Rabin, Tel Aviv, Israel

I am very interested in the Israeli general strike, but unfortunately, there has been no reporting on this in the U.S. (not that I have seen, anyway). So, if you could give a brief summary on the website of the issues that are involved, I think that would help people who are not from Israel to understand what's going on. I will be linking to the strike website... - Markus De Shon, USA

So 31% consider the strike to be justified. How many don't? Is it 69%? IMHO, if you try to give a summary of the facts about the strike, you can't quote only some of the numbers. If you state any numbers you should state all of them, like them or not. - Uri Lerner, USA

Do you want to hear my suggestion regarding the Histradut in general, and strikers in particular?? Here it is: if you care about yourselves so much, and the country so little, why don't you go and live somewhere else so the real Zionists can take your places? Your actions are greedy, materialistic, and, frankly, they make me sick to my stomach. It shames me that big boys and girls shouldn't be able to think about the good of the nation before themselves. - Nathan G, USA

FRIDAY 26/9

Peretz, Ne'eman meet -- and fail to reach agreement

In a two hour meeting last night, Histadrut leader Amir Peretz and Finance Minister Yaakov Ne'eman failed to reach agreement that might avert Sunday morning's general strike. They will be meeting again this morning at 9:30.

Who's going on strike?

Meanwhile, the Histadrut is going ahead with plans for the strike, which will include among others the following sectors:

50,000 workers in government offices, including National Insurance and Income Tax.
80,000 workers in 264 local councils. Garbage will not be picked up.
50,000 workers in the banks, the Bank of Israel, the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, and others.
8,000 workers at Bezeq, the communications company.
2,500 workers at Makorot, the water company.
Workers in the gas and oil industry, including refineries.
The entire education system, including kingergartens, primary schools, junior highs and high schools.
Magen David Adom (emergency medical services) and firemen -- on partial strike.
Partial strikes at the Egged and Dan bus cooperatives.
1,300 railway workers.
5,000 El Al workers and 2,400 airports authority workers will close down Ben Gurion airport.
40,000 workers in the defense industries.
The Histadrut sector of the economy, including workers in pension funds, Histadrut staff, in the Amal vocational schools, and Na'amat day care centers.
In the private sector, 15,000 agricultural workers, 60,000 metal workers, 20,000 textile workers, and 50,000 food workers are expected to strike.
Also on strike: workers at the Jewish Agency, the universities, the Jewish National Fund, and other institutions.

Government, Businesses Continue to Threaten

Using increasingly violent language (Ne'eman talks about "a gun" being held to his head by the trade unions; business leaders talk about being "held hostage"), government and business are continuing to threaten to prevent the strike if it cannot be averted at the last minute.

The Manufacturers' Association and other business groups have gone to court together with the Chamber of Commerce, claiming that strikes in the private sector are illegal, as there is no dispute between the Histradrut and private businessmen.

Meanwhile, though the Finance Ministry denies rumors that troops are to be used as strike-breakers, in an ominous note, the Jerusalem Post this morning reported that "Government workers were warned last night by the Civil Service Commission that it is illegal for them to prevent those wanting to work from entering government buildings. Government offices will be open as usual on Sunday morning and preventing entry is considered a crime, read a commission statement." Does the government plan to use its police powers to prevent workers from picketing?

THURSDAY 25/9 - Second Edition

Ne'eman returns from Hong Kong to face strike threat

Finance Minister Yaakov Ne'eman returned from Hong Kong this morning and began discussion with high-ranking officials in his Ministry regarding the upcoming Histadrut general strike. Ne'eman is quoted as saying that the strike has "no basis" and is "not justified." No meeting has been arranged between Ne'eman and Histadrut leaders.

THURSDAY 25/9

31% of Public Considers Strike "Justified"

In a poll released last night on Israel Television, fully 31% of the Israeli public replied that it considered the Histadrut's wave of industrial actions and the upcoming general strike "justified." When asked if they knew what the strike was about, only 30% replied in the affirmative. In other words, everyone who knows what the issues are supports the strike.

Peretz Warns Netanyahu: Don't Use Troops to Break Strike

In a press conference held yesterday in Tel Aviv, and again during an interview on Israel television last night, Histadrut Chairman Amir Peretz called on the Israeli government to drop any idea about using troops to attempt to break the impending general strike, now scheduled to begin on Sunday 28/9. Peretz warned the the Histadrut would not tolerate attempts to use soldiers to "secure" factories and other institutions considered vital to the country.

Private sector goes to court; public sector threatens

The Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce asked for a court injunction blocking strikes against members of that organization. At the present time, the Histadrut is not planning to shut down the private sector on Sunday. Meanwhile, Budgets Commissioner David Milgrom was quoted as saying, "If it is necessary, the government will defend the need for essential services so that the public is not unreasonably damaged."

Strike Not "Political" Say Likud Trade Unionists

In an advertisement published in the daily press, several dozen trade union leaders, nearly all of them members of the rightist Likud , denounced Prime Minister Netanyahu's charge that the impending general strike will be "political." Some of the signatories are also top Likud activists, members of the party's leading bodies and heads of local branches.

Peretz Tells Israel TV: Independent Workers' Party? Not Now

In a final question put in the same television interview, Peretz was asked about rumors of the possible formation of an independent workers' party. He replied that this was not currently on the agenda, though he understood workers' frustration with the Likud and Labour parties. When asked if he would stand at the head of such a party, he said that such a thing would be considered in due time. In other words, he did not rule out the formation of such a party. The initiative for such a party seems to be coming from trade union leaders traditionally indentified with the hawkish Likud, who are fed up with Netanyahu's anti-labour policies.

Netanyahu Orders Finance Minister to Return from Hong Kong

In a bid to resume negotiations which had broken off, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered his Finance Minister, Yaakov Ne'eman, to return to Israel from the World Bank-International Monetary Fund meeting in Hong Kong. In a letter to Amir Peretz, Netanyahu called on the Histadrut to call off its general strike plans and resume negotiations.

Privatization Means Job Loss: Example #1

This was reported in today's edition of Globes: "Naphtha, new owner of INOC (Israel National Oil Corporation), which was privatised three weeks ago, has, in the last few days, fired 10-15 of INOC’s 23 employees. . . . It is believed that more INOC employees will be fired in the near future."

What the strikes are costing

"Histadrut sanctions so far have caused estimated damages of NIS 100 million [28 million USD]," reports Globes. A general strike could cost the economy as much as 100 million per day, say Ministry of Finance economists.

Histadrut sources: Netanyahu and Ne'eman must meet Peretz

According to a report in today's edition of Ha'aretz, senior Histadrut sources are now saying that in order to resolve the issues which are leading to the Sunday general strike, talks must now include Histadrut Chairman Amir Peretz on the one side and Finance Minister Yaakov Ne'eman or even Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the other.

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