Teva workers across Israel to continue protesting layoffs tomorrow

The Histadrut labor union says Teva workers will continue various protests against the company’s decision to lay off a quarter of its workforce in Israel.

Teva’s headquarters in Petah Tikva, along with its plants in Ashdod and Netanya, will be closed tomorrow in protest. Workers at Teva’s Jerusalem facilities will continue their general strike and sit-in, and workers at the Kfar Saba factory will strike for four hours.

Histadrut chairman Avi Nissenkorn will meet with Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon and Economy Minister Eli Cohent tomorrow to discuss the mass layoffs in Israel.

Earlier, Teva workers in Jerusalem staged demonstrations outside a company plant, at the entrance to the city and outside Netanyahu’s office as he was convening his cabinet for its weekly meeting.

The workers blocked traffic, beat drums and chanted slogans against the coming layoffs. “Closing Teva is an attack against the State of Israel,” read one poster.

The protest resumed later in the afternoon, when dozens of workers waving Israeli flags again blocked a road near the Jerusalem plant, backing up traffic when rush hour started.