The strike in pictures: Uncollected garbage, empty train stations
For the third consecutive day, Israelis are doing without basic government services
Israel’s general strike enters its third day on Friday and is likely to continue through the weekend. While the Finance Ministry and the Histadrut labor union continue to work towards an agreement, the Israeli public remains on the losing end of the battle.
Since the strike began on Wednesday morning, Israelis have had no train service, forcing many to rely on alternate public transportation or to drive themselves, resulting in more crowded buses and heavier traffic jams.
Government and municipality offices have been closed, as have banks and post offices. University administrative staffs and kindergarten workers have also participated in the strike.
Israel is poised to enter the Sabbath on Friday at sundown having had no garbage pickup since Tuesday before the strike. The strike is estimated to cost the Israeli economy some $500 million each day.
Representatives will meet again on Friday at noon in the hopes of enabling Israeli daily life a return to “normal” by Sunday morning.
But even if the strike ends, the next one is never far off. Workers at dairy co-op Tnuva are preparing to strike, according to Globes, meaning milk and cheese products may become more scarce, and doctors have also threatened to return to the picket lines over a dispute over using time clocks.