Israel Railways workers committee has called off a strike after the Jerusalem Labor Court issued an injunction ordering them back to work. The wildcat strike was called during a dramatic night after ten heads of the Israel Railways workers committee were arrested while taking part in a demonstration in Modiin, opposite the home of incoming Israel Railways chairman Ori Yogev.
There were no trains for the 150,000 commuters who use the railways each morning but the workers committee expects normal service to be resumed this afternoon.
The Jerusalem Labor Court will reconvene on Monday morning to discuss the railway workers request to strike, by which time it is hoped the workers committee leaders arrested by police last night would have been released.
Israel Railways CEO Itzhak Harel said, "The railways workers cannot take the law into their own hands. Illegal activities cannot be undertaken. You don't suddenly announce to 150,000 passengers that there are no trains."
Workers committee member Halbi Suleiman told “IDF Radio" (Galei Zahal) that it would be some hours before the trains were back to normal. He said, "Trains are not toys and there are a lot of preparations to be done before the cars can start moving."
Chairman of the Histadrut's Transport Workers Committee Avi Edri said, "We respect the court ruling but it takes time to get back to work. The most important thing is that those who were arrested will be released, and then we will meet and decide together on our next steps."
Israel Railways management petitioned the Labor Court for contempt of court because employees had not returned to work by midday. But with the workers committee members who were arrested released this afternoon, the trains should be back on track for the late afternoon rush hour.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on May 12, 2011
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2011