Terrorist Attack Spurs Talks to End Radio-tv Strike in Israel

The eight-week-old strike by broadcast journalists may be over by Friday morning, both sides spurred toward agreement by the terrorist attack that killed six Israeli soldiers in Upper Galilee Wednesday night.

The attack went largely unreported because most radio and television channels were blacked out by the strike. This prompted the Israel Broadcast Authority management to postpone a reorganization and modernization program, thereby removing the last obstacle to an agreement.

The striking journalists said they were ready to sign an arbitration agreement and return to work immediately if the proposed reorganization were delayed. They feared it would lead to job losses.

The IBA management had planned to introduce modern electronic equipment it had acquired some time ago but never used because of protests by the employees. This includes electronic video cameras to replace old-fashioned film cameras. The video cameras would improve and expand television coverage in the main population centers of the country.

But they would delay coverage in outlying areas where video cameras are not yet available. The IBA management realized that had the new program been in effect, it could not have properly covered the attack in Upper Galilee, the worst terrorist infiltration of Israel in recent years.

Negotiations between the IBA and the strikers had been aiming at voluntary arbitration of their dispute, during which radio and television service would be restored. It hit a snag Wednesday when the IBA insisted its re-organization program be put on the agenda for arbitration.

The striking journalists balked, claiming this was a new element. They maintained that the only issue for arbitration was their demand for wages equal to those of print journalists. Broadcast journalists, as public employees, have a lower wage scale than their colleagues on newspapers, most of which are privately owned.

The Finance Ministry had refused to consider increases for them, lest other public sector employees demand the same But the finance and education ministries assented to voluntary arbitration because it treats each case on its merits without establishing precedents.

The striking journalists and representatives of the Journalists Association are scheduled to meet Friday morning to discuss their strategy. It is widely believed that in light of the latest developments they will vote to return to work immediately.