The cottage cheese boycott leaders announced last night that they will launch a consumer battle against Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) (TASE: ELEC.B22) unless it cancels the pending electricity rate hike. They are also demanding immediate streamlining measures and reform in the electricity market.
"IEC operates on automatic pilot, resulting in electricity rate to the captive consumer," said cottage cheese boycott leader Itzik Alrov. "For an entire summer, the public was constantly admonished to save electricity, and it answered the call, saving IEC 400 million. Now the company is complaining about low cash flow and is again demanding a rate hike.
"The public is fed up with the cynical exploitation and contempt by this bloated, extortionist, and blockheaded monopoly that instead of streamlining, continues to pay inflated salaries at the public's expense. How dare a government company that overpays employees NIS 400 million demand more money from the public, instead of cleaning house?"
Alrov added, "Just as the Israeli government does not want to breach the annual budget framework, the Israeli citizens also do not want to see their monthly budgets breached time after time. Take responsibility and lead real reform at IEC and stop the partying at the taxpayers' expense.
"IEC harms the public, and the public will respond by stopping the company's cash flow. We call on the public to again take their consumer power into their hands and protest against the price hike. On November 11, we will begin disrupting the payment of electricity bills by delaying payment, and other measures.
"We also call on Israel's citizens to go out on to the street on Saturday night and participate in the demonstrations for social justice in the country."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 27, 2011
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2011