General Federation of Labor threatens ports strike

Sources in the shipping sector noted late last week that the General Federation of Labor in Israel (Histadrut) is threatening a strike at Israel's three main maritime gateways in a few days's time.

Transport Workers Union chairman Avi Edery was noted saying that strike action would be taken "unless progress is made in negotiations with the Ministry of Finance on a number of salary issues".

Edery, together with the chairmen of the workers committees at Ashdod Port Company Ltd., Haifa Port Company Ltd., and Eilat Port Company Ltd. are demanding on top of a 6.25% pay increase and grants for all public sector employees, announced a month ago, a 5% pay increase for ports employees hired in 2004-05.

The ports worker's union declared a labor dispute in advance over the salary talks, thereby bypassing the mandatory 14-day cooling off period.