A decision to join the pro-Western International Confederation of Free Trade Unions was adopted early this morning by the Histadrut, Israel Federation of Labor, at a session of its council. Members of the left-wing Mapam Party and of the Communist Party fought the decision but were defeated by a large majority composed of Mapai and General Zionist laborites.
The Histadrut left the Communist-controlled World Federation of Trade Unions in 1950. As a result of today’s decision, organized Israel labor may be represented at the convention of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions which opens on July 4 in Stockholm.
The Histadrut council also defeated a proposal by Mapam members to oppose the bill on a unified school system which will be presented soon by the Israel Cabinet to Parliament. The council expressed satisfaction with the methods now used by the government to decrease unemployment in the country. It was reported that the number of unemployed men and women in Israel has dropped to about 16, 000.
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