Israel’s chief labor relations arbitrator, Gideon Ben Israel, invited both sides in the Elite candy company strike to a meeting today in an effort to prevent a confrontation which the striking workers have threatened against a court order permitting removal of Elite candy from storage to agents for distribution. Ben Israel issued his invitation on orders of Labor Minister Yosef Almogi.
A district court judge upheld yesterday a lower court injunction banning any interference by the strikers with movement of the finished products. Defiant union members and Histadrut officials have responded they would not let the products be taken out “with or without” the police. Almogi acted to prevent a possible clash.
Meanwhile, reports continued that the Histadrut might accept the most recent settlement offer of the employers for an average 40 percent increase in wages plus other benefits. The workers want that offer in writing but management is reluctant out of fears this could become a precedent for similar demands in other sections of the industry. Histadrut secretary general Yitzhak Ben-Aharon has been giving strong support to the strikers.
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