Civilian Flight Controllers Return to Work

Civilian flight controllers were back on the job at Ben Gurion Airport and other airports in Israel beginning at midnight last night, conceding, in effect, that their tactics of strikes and work slowdowns to win a labor dispute were a failure. For the past three weeks, the control towers all over Israel were manned by military personnel.

The government called the army in to prevent air traffic chaos when the civilian flight controllers resorted to rule-book practices that caused serious delays and angered thousands of air passengers. The move was successful and the flight controllers lost whatever public support they may have had. Chastened by the experience, each employee has signed a no strike pledge, the violation of which would be cause for immediate dismissal. They will press their demands within the Histadrut trade union framework.