Histadrut weighs nationwide transport strike over ‘Open Skies’ dispute
El Al and two other local airlines set to stop work on Sunday morning if ministers approve air travel deal with EU
The Histadrut trade union federation is reportedly considering launching a full nationwide transport strike — bringing all public transportation, ports and airports to a standstill — in solidarity with Israel’s three airlines which are threatening strike action from Sunday morning.
Channel 2 news reported Friday night that Histadrut head Ofer Eini was weighing nationwide strike action in the dispute over Israel’s “Open Skies” agreement with the European Union, set to be approved by the cabinet on Sunday.
Dozens of employees from Israel’s three airlines, El Al, Arkia, and Israir, as well as representatives of the national pilots’ association, held demonstrations in front of the homes of Finance Minister Yair Lapid and Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz on Friday morning to protest the agreement, which they say is unfair, ill-conceived and will ruin their businesses.
The “Open Skies” agreement, meant to lower the cost of air travel by reducing barriers for outside airlines to operate in Israel, was signed with the European Union last July after more than three years of negotiations.
The three airlines have threatened to begin a strike from 5 a.m. on Sunday morning if the government goes through with its approval of the plan. Yigal Cohen, the Arkia worker’s union chairman, called the situation a “battle for survival,” which he blamed on the “devastating and irresponsible decision of the transportation minister… which will throw tens of thousands of workers into the street after the Israeli airline companies collapse.”
“We are not opposed to competition, but we are in favor of equal and fair competition,” Avi Edri, the chairman of the transport workers union, told Channel 2 News.
Edri stressed that he does not want to scrap the entire agreement, but rather to make certain modifications that would protect Israeli carriers. “The minister of transportation promised me personally that he ‘will not harm Israeli airlines.’ Where are his promises from before the elections?”
Lapid came out Friday to meet with the demonstrators, even inviting them into his house to discuss the issues. “There will likely be painful compromises,” he addressed to the gathering mass. “But there is no intention to harm the workers.” He said there was nothing more important to him than their jobs.
Katz was expected to meet with representatives of the airlines as well as the transport workers union over the weekend in an attempt to stave off the threatened strike.
