The central council of the Histadrut, Israel’s labor federation, held a two day meeting this weekend without being able to reach a decision on the controversial issue of electing a controller and left the issue for later action by the Bistadrut executive council.
Delegates from Mapam, former Premier David Ben-Gurion’s dissident Israel Workers Party (Rafi) and of Gahal, the Herut-Liberal alignment had opposed such a post which had been urged as a means of more effective control of Histadrut enterprises. Under pressure of the dominant Mapai-Achdut Avodah alignment, Mapam delegates withdrew their adamant opposition. However, every party was divided on both the proposal for a controller and on means of electing one.
Aharon Becker, Histadrut secretary-general, told the first session that the conclave would deal with three problems. One was that of unifying control of the institutions of Histadrut, the second was changing the current system of election of work committees, and the third would be introducing changes in the Histadrut constitution to update the “decade-old” clauses governing the convening of the management body.
He also stressed the Histadrut’s growing concern over growing joblessness in Israel and said a special session of the Histadrut executive would consider unemployment and Government economic policy.
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