For the first time in several years, the banks and Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) will join in a general strike announced by the Histadrut (General Federation of Labor in Israel). Histadrut chairman Ofer Eini will meet with important workers committees at 11 am today to brief them on tomorrow's strike, and at a subsequent press conference, he will announce the institutions that will be closed.
Eini is flexing his muscles with the strike, to show the Ministry of Finance that he will go all the way in his demand for the direct hiring of contract workers by both public and private sector employees. Last night's talks between Eini and ministry officials ended without results, as the ministry refuses in principle the direct hiring of an 250,000 contract workers.
The Histadrut has published the list of organizations that will be on strike tomorrow, and it is a long one: government offices, local authorities, institutions of higher education, airports (including Ben Gurion International Airport), Israel Railways, Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) (TASE: ELEC.B22), Mekorot National Water Company, Oil Refineries Ltd. (TASE:ORL), museums, educational television, the banks, and the TASE. Government hospitals will operate on Saturday schedules.
Later today, National Labor Court will hear petitions for an injunction against the strike, and tonight, the Ministry of Finance will again try to prevent the strike.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on November 6, 2011
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