Egged drivers threaten to strike next week

Workers at Israel’s largest bus company could strike next week on all lines over a pay and work conditions dispute, the Histadrut labor union warned on Thursday.

The threat to bring all of Egged’s city and intercity buses to a halt starting Monday came after negotiations between workers and management broke down. Egged and union officials failed to reach a collective agreement over wages and alleged unilateral steps taken by bosses, which, the Histadrut said, detracted from workers’ rights.

According to the union, the main bone of contention is management’s refusal to adjust drivers’ wages that currently stand at around NIS 32-33 ($8.30) per hour, the lowest among the country’s various public transportation companies.

“The decision to go on strike was made after all the attempts by the Histadrut and representatives of the workers to bridge the gaps with the administration were rejected,” the Histadrut said in a statement. “In efforts to avoid unnecessary harm, and out of a sense of responsibility to the traveling public, particularly soldiers, it was decided that the strike won’t start on Sunday, which is considered the busiest day for public transport.”

In Israel the work week starts on Sunday, which is also when many IDF soldiers return to their bases after weekend leave.

The chairman of the transport workers’ union, Avi Edri, said the low pay rate for Egged drivers was unacceptable for such a veteran organization.

“It is unthinkable that a company that has existed since the establishment of the state pays the lowest hourly rate in public transport, while unilaterally lowering the workers’ wages,” he said. “It is our intention to act with all of the means at our disposal to protect the wages, dignity, and status of Egged workers.”

“We expect the drivers in the oldest public transport company in the country to make ends meet and earn a decent wage, at least like other workers in public transport companies,” said Egged workers’ committee chairman Yaakov Vakhnish. “We hope that management will come around and act immediately to resolve the crisis before compounding the damage to drivers and passengers.”

Egged spokesman Ron Ratner said in a statement that the drivers were hoping to match their conditions to that of other companies’ drivers. That, he said, could only be achieved through talks with the government.

“We call on the workers to prevent an unnecessary strike whose only consequence will be to inconvenience the public and Egged’s passengers,” he said.