Histadrut called on Premier Yitzhak Rabin today to declare a state of economic emergency in Israel to forestall threatened massive strikes by public employers and to end current strikes and work slowdowns that could have a crippling effect on the country.
The Prime Minister and Histadrut Secretary General Yeruham Meshel met this evening to discuss the situation. Meshel told reporters later that the Premier was aware of its gravity. The Maunfacturers Association also urged Rabin to intervene personally to save the nation from what it says will be economic chaos.
The Histadrut Central Committee met in emergency session earlier today. According to Meshel, the Histadrut leadership believes that the latest wave of labor strife was initiated in the belief that with elections approaching, the time is ripe to make demands on the government and other public employers.
Histadrut, therefore, wants Rabin to declare an emergency until after the May 17 elections. Meanwhile, the Central Committee called on public service workers to accept government proposals to avoid the almost inevitable promulgation of restrictive labor relations laws.
While the labor federation and the industrialists have a common interest in ending the strike threats, Meshel accused Abraham Shavit, president of the Manufacturers Association, of trying to wreck labor solidarity by urging production line workers to join a campaign against the demands of public service workers. Histadrut also disputed reports that some 200,000 Israeli workers are presently involved in strikes, threatened strikes or slowdowns. But whatever the number, it is large and a new series of strikes in the public sector could have devastating consequences.
STRIKES, ON AND PENDING
Already a rule-book slowdown by El Al technical workers has seriously disrupted the airline’s flight schedule. In several cases, mechanical difficulties were “discovered” in planes, about to take off, forcing them to discharge their passengers who were delayed several hours while the aircraft underwent inspection and repairs.
About 20,000 social scientists employed by the government began a work slowdown today and announced a full-fledged strike for Feb. 17. Yesterday, 1000 psychologists employed by public institutions stayed away from work to attend rallies in the three largest cities for higher wages.
Transport Ministry employees are threatening a strike of unlimited duration which would shut down Israel’s seaports, airports and meteorological stations beginning this Sunday. Employees of the Bank of Israel have threatened to strike in support of wage demands. A similar threat was made by lecturers and assistants at the major universities unless wage negotiations are completed within two weeks. Employees of the income tax and revenue departments returned to their jobs under a court order but began a work slowdown.
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