Histadrut’s 12th national convention ended here early this morning after three days of stormy sessions during which jeers, catcalls and scuffles precluded any positive accomplishments and prevented most of the speakers from finishing their speeches. The main hecklers were Black Panthers and followers of the leftist Moked and Meri factions but the right-wing Likud also got in some verbal blows. Even Premier Golda Meir, who addressed the convention late Tuesday night, was not spared. Panthers in the Mann Auditorium yelled, “Golda, Queen of the Social Gap. Golda, Queen of the Mishap, Golda Resign.”
Their words reflected the apparent dissatisfaction felt in Israel today with the government, its leadership and institutions, arising from the Yom Kippur War and galloping inflation. Resolutions, adopted just before dawn today, had a calming effect on the delegates who were, in any case, exhausted. They called for measures to check the inflationary spiral, demanded higher cost-of-living allowances to keep pace with soaring prices and the exemption of wage fringe benefits from in come tax.
Premier Meir appeared to take no notice of the Panther commotion when she mounted the podium Tuesday night. She promised that every effort would be made by the government to close the social gap. But she observed that in a developing country such as Israel which needed investments, some people would collect a disproportionate share of the income. She concluded her speech to more shouts and whistles from the floor. A new secretary general will be elected some time next month.
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