Strike ends, but lines and garbage remain

The general strike ended on Sunday morning, but its effects are still being felt as long lines formed at businesses around the country.

Following the ending of a nationwide strike, public services are starting to reopen. Post offices, banks, garbage collection and transportation are some of the services Israelis are happy to have working again.

Buses are starting to run again, after drivers joined the strike briefly on Sunday morning, and the rush of thousands caused drastic overcrowding as people attempted to get to work.

Garbage collecting has resumed, but the streets of some cities will only be cleaned tomorrow. The municipalities of Haifa and Ramat Gan have announced it will take them at least 24 hours to clear trash off the sidewalks.

Many places have reported long lines, with people scrambling to get things done after postponing them for days. The Hebrew-language newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported scuffles breaking out between customers at the central post office in Tel Aviv.

Almost all of the large banks have announced they would stay open until 6 p.m. and not close for the usual afternoon break, while Leumi said it would operate until 5 p.m.

Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz and Histadrut labor union head Ofer Eini signed an agreement ending a general strike that had entered its fifth day.

The goal of the strike was to end, or drastically limit, the concept of subcontracted workers. Subcontracted workers are those who were hired through employment agencies and, in the absence of long-term contract, suffer from inferior working conditions.

Senior politicians responded to the strike’s successful resolution.  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was pleased with the final agreement, which will help provide social rights and benefits to subcontracted workers. The agreement would have a positive effect on society, he said.

Labor Party leader Shelly Yahimovitch told Army Radio that the agreement was not enough. Yahimovitch said the problem could only be properly solved by the government  fighting for change instead of against it.

Shlomo Buchbut, mayor of Maalot-Tarshiha and chairperson of Israel municipal councils, said he was disappointed by the agreement that was reached. Talking to reporters, he said the municipalities and local authorities were those who employed most of the public sector subcontracted workers, and that these bodies did not have the funds it would take to fully implement the agreement.