מייסד איזיג'ט מקים חברה מתחרה בשם פאסט-ג'ט
Netanyahu: Histadrut behind failure to avert strike; Not everyone understands the importance of the moment
With Relly Sa'ar
Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu placed responsibility Sunday for the labor unrest over the planned economic austerity plan squarely on the Histadrut labor federation.
"I'm sorry to say that not everyone understands the importance of the moment," Netanyahu said in a televised press conference Sunday evening.
"I met again this afternoon with the head of the Histadrut, for the fifth time in a week, in an attempt to reach an agreement. I'm sorry to say the Histadrut refuses to enter into negotiations on the emergency economic plan," Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu said he offered Histadrut Labor Federation Chairman Amir Perez a suspension of legislative debate on the economic plan in exchange for a suspension of public sector labor sanctions that the Histadrut plans to widen Wednesday.
According to Netanyahu, Histadrut representatives refuse to open negotiations until the government obliges not to legislate change in work conditions. Netanyahu rejected the Histadrut proposal, yet noted that he also prefers avoiding a legislative change in work conditions, and will resort to legislation only if negotiations fail.
Netanyahu and Perez met twice Sunday in an effort to avoid a general strike set to begin Wednesday.
Speaking after the two meetings, Perez said that both sides were making "enormous efforts" to reach an agreement. The Histadrut chief also said that Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein, who was also present, had played a helpful role in the discussions.
The first meeting between Netanyahu and Perez earlier in the day ended without any agreement, increasing the likelihood that the Histadrut will intensify the current public sector strike, as part of its campaign against the government's emergency economic plan.
"Many citizens of Israel feel as if they are being unjustly attacked," Perez told Israel Radio after the first meeting. "We didn't say that we aren't prepared to cooperate; we didn't say that we don't understand the economic situation."
Oded Tira, head of the Manufacturer's Association, told Israel Radio that a general strike would exact a high cost from an economy that's already stretched thin.
"The economy is bleeding," said Tira. "To date we have already paid NIS 300 million as a result of the strike, and if there is a general strike, it will cost the economy about a quarter of a billion shekels every day."
Bank of Israel governor David Klein said at the weekly cabinet meeting that the need to obtain an agreement with Histadrut workers shouldn't engender paralysis.
"The workers must understand that changes are required, and that they must cooperate," he said, hinting that force is not the best option.
The Histadrut is threatening to include employees at government companies - the Israel Electric Corporation, the Mekorot water utility, Israel Aircraft Industries, Israel Military Industries, and the Haifa and Ashdod ports - in the strike. In addition, Israel Airport Authority workers will prevent flights from taking off from Ben-Gurion International Airport and Israel Railway employees will suspend services for portions of the day. Bank and Tel Aviv Stock Exchange workers will also join the strike.
Histadrut leaders vowed that the strike would be expanded if by midnight Tuesday, Finance Minister Netanyahu has not retracted his intention to press ahead with the economic plan by means of legislation.
The labor sanctions adopted by some 50,000 employees at government ministries and state-run entities (including the Employment Service and National Insurance Institute) entered their second week Sunday. The disruptions implemented by around 100,000 local authority and regional council employees are also continuing, although garbage will be collected from the streets.
Schools opened Sunday and will open Monday for regular classes, but the teachers' unions have announced that report cards will not be issued before the Passover vacation. These school marks are essential for students who are moving from primary to middle school, or from middle school into high school. In order to register at their new schools, the students must present their report cards.
Ministries are not open to the public Sunday and employees are not answering calls or dealing with mail; the Interior Ministry and population registries are not issuing official documents (identity cards, passports, birth certificates and the like); the Justice Ministry's land registry offices are not dealing with ownership transfers; assets can't be registered with the Land Tax Division; Income Tax offices are closed to the public and employees are not conducting surprise audits; the Customs and VAT Department employees are not releasing goods - aside from fresh produce, medicines and other essentials - from the sea and air ports; the Licensing Department is not conducting practical driving tests, although theory tests are going ahead as per usual; and real estate transactions requiring approval from the Israel Lands Administration are on hold.
Local authority and regional council workers are adopting partial labor sanctions, but began collecting garbage on the weekend. While kindergartens are operating as usual, municipal inspectors will not issue parking fines and all local authority offices will be closed to the public. Welfare services have also been suspended.
The Well-Baby clinics (tipat halav) remain on strike following a rejection of their demand for more staffers.