Gains of Histadrut Reported by Lavon; Problems Reviewed

The Histadrut, Israel’s general federation of labor, has nearly quadrupled in the decade since the state was proclaimed, Pinchas Lavon, secretary general, reported here last night at a meeting of the Histadrut Council which is preparing for the forthcoming ninth national convention.

When the state was proclaimed, he noted, the labor movement had 175, 000 members. Today it boasts a strength of 654, 000 men and women. The Israeli worker, he continued, cannot yet afford luxury, but his standard of living has been rising steadily and he can maintain a “normal life.”

In a review of new problems which have arisen during the decade of statehood, Mr. Lavon asserted that the labor movement has had to change to accommodate to new conditions. Among the changes he detailed, were the passing to state control of labor exchanges traditionally operated by Histadrut, acceptance of government participation in cooperative companies which were Histadrut-founded and operated such as the Mekoroth Water Company, and changes in the health institutions operated by the government.

Even in a changed capacity, he stressed, the Histadrut’s health network remains effective, as does its work in behalf of employed mothers and in the absorption of immigrants. He underlined new and expanded Histadrut responsibilities toward the acclimatization to immigrant areas. He said that though the exact scale of the immigrant problem is still unknown, the Histadrut must be ready to “recruit all available resources” to meet it.

Mr. Lavon reported on the split-up of Soiel Boneh, the Histadrut construction cooperative, and said that despite the break-up its over-all activities had not fallen off. He noted that among the construction unit’s recent accomplishments was the formation of a mutual companies with the Governments of Ghana and Nigeria to construct various projects in those countries. A similar arrangement is being negotiated with Burma.