Citrus Growers Seeking $12 Million in Damages for Losses Incurred by a Week of Strikes, Slowdowns

The citrus growers said today that they hold the government responsible for the losses incurred by a week of strikes and work slowdowns at Israel’s three sea-ports which ended yesterday and would demand compensation in the amount of $12 million for damaged citrus exports.

Although the dockworkers at Haifa, Ashdod and Eilat have resumed full productivity, the government has come under severe criticism for agreeing to a wage hike of 4-5 percent. The amount is only one-third of what the strikers demanded but it will be granted to all industrial workers and economists here are warning that the cure may prove to be worse than the illness. Even Treasury officials, who say the increase will not fuel inflation, are concerned that it will lead to a growing rate of unemployment because many plants will not be able to pay the higher wages.

The Israel Manufacturers Association was angered by the settlement because it granted the dockworkers a raise only five months after they had signed new wage agreements. Avraham Shavit, president of the Association, declared today that it will not countenance any changes in existing contracts. He assailed the government for indecisiveness and called on the public to “take matters into their hands to prevent the destruction of the State by incompetent handling of the economy.”

The port workers will not be paid for the period they were idle or semi-idle. But they are likely to make up that loss through overtime and an enlarged work force. The Haifa Port Authority assigned extra gangs to work the docks in order to clear the backlog of cargoes before the Passover holidays which start April 2. The Ashdod Port Authority put 23 gangs to work, 16 of them loading citrus. Workers at Eilat have been back on the job since Sunday.