A wildcat strike today of ground maintenance crews halted all El Al flights at Lydda Airport. The strike, which was unexpected, hit the airline before it could notify passengers and hundreds of passengers jammed the Lydda terminal unable to depart. El Al was trying to book them on flights of other airlines. A simultaneous strike by several hundred employes of the Delek fuel company created a shortage of gasoline for aircraft and motor vehicles.
The Lydda Airport strike was the latest eruption in a long simmering dispute between ground crews and Israel’s national airline. The employes are demanding wage increases amounting to 80 percent of their present salaries. Histadrut declared today’s strike unauthorized. El Al has applied to the district labor relations court for an injunction.
Meanwhile, the airline faces an estimated $2 million loss for every 24 hours that the strike continues. El Al flights were to have carried 2100 persons out of Israel today and incoming flights are bringing in about 1800 passengers. As arriving planes landed and discharged their passengers they were towed to hangars for lay-ups pending a strike settlement. By noon today, nine of El Al’s 12 Boeing transports were grounded at Lydda.
The Finance Ministry and the Israel Fuel Authority were reported ready to intervene in the Delek strike if necessary. Delek is one of the three major firms distributing fuel oil in Israel. As a result of the strike, about one-third of Israel’s gasoline stations were empty this morning and cars and trucks were lined up at competing stations.
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