The excutive of the Histadrut this week-end adopted a resolution recommending the withdrawal of the Israel trade union movement from the leftist World Federation of Trade Unions. In order to emphasize the Histradrut’s neutrality, the resolution also recommended that the Histadrut should not affiliate with the rival labor body, the World Confederation of Free Trade Unions.
The resolution, introduced by Reuven Burstein of the Histadrut secretariat, was backed by the government Mapai Party and bitterly opposed by the left Socialist Mapam. It was carried by a vote of 26 to 16. Following the vote, the Mapam protested and announced it would carry the issue to the General Council of the Histadrut.
The Mapai resolution declared that the WFTU was no longer an inclusive union of the workers of the world. It decsribed the two rival world federations as each being an instrument of one of the two principal factors in the cold war. It recommended for the Histadrut a policy of maintenance of “cordial relations” with all labor organizations regardless of their affiliations.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
