Blade Technology workers at a protest meeting in the factory yard.
Almost a thousand families are anxious for their livelihood, but the ministries of defense and economy have not decided who is responsible (photo: Histadrut spokespeople)
The Histadrut's fight to prevent the layoffs of over 900 employees of the "Lahavim Technologies" factory in Nahariya is on the rise: Yesterday,
the chairman of the Galil region of the Histadrut, Asher Shmueli
, sent a scathing letter to
the Minister of Defense Yoav Galant
, with copies to the Prime Minister, the Minister of the Economy and the chairman of the Finance Committee , with a demand for his urgent intervention.
Shmueli tells "Walla" that if Galant did not immediately pledge and condition the Defense Ministry's purchases of hundreds of thousands of dollars per year from the owner of Lehavim Technologies, the Pratt & Whitney Company, in the sale of the plant as a going concern to buyers who are interested in it - something it prevents - the Histadrut will demonstrate in front of the Defense Ministry in Jerusalem .
The letter came out following an article published on the "ISRAELDEFENCE" website, according to which the Israeli government submitted to the US Air Force a letter of request for the purchase of 25 F15 AI aircraft and the upgrade of 25 Thunder aircraft, so that they reach the level of the new aircraft that will join the force.
"During the coming year, there will be detailed discussions between the two countries and between the two air forces on the details of the configuration of the planes, their equipment, their armament, and of course their price," it says.
"The engines will be purchased separately from one of the two engine manufacturers Pratt & Whitney or General Electric, and a separate negotiation will be conducted on the engines."
Minister of Defense, Yoav Galant.
Do you suggest contacting the Ministry of Economy? (Photo: Reuven Castro)
The last sentence jumped the "Lahavim" workers' council and Shmoeli, because the Ministry of Defense can exert pressure on the owner, the American company that intends to close the factory in Nahariya, through the purchase of the engines.
Shmueli mentions the answer he received from the director of Galant's office, when he contacted him - January 8: "I looked into this issue from all directions and unfortunately we do not have the ability to help with that. The Ministry of Defense does not and did not have a contract with the Lahavim Technologies factory, and in addition it is linked by a contract with the parent company The American Pratt & Whitney. I suggest you contact the Ministry of Economy."
Transferring responsibility to the Ministry of Economy does not satisfy the Histadrut: "The Ministry of Defense, of which you are the head, as well as all the productive entities under its wings, such as the IA, have a direct connection and influence on 'Pratt & Whitney.'" And
Shmuel adds: "The purchase of the engines proves that in my hands The Ministry of Defense has power worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year."
That is why he is turning to him to intervene with the US Ministry of Defense and inform the company's management that if you close a factory that employs 1,500 workers, the Ministry of Defense will work to purchase the engines from General Electric and not from Pratt & Whitney.
" "This article justifies everything we have been claiming for the past few months," says Shmueli. The State of Israel and the Ministry of Defense at its head have the power to influence Pratt & Whitney and tell them in a simple way that if they close a factory in the conflict line area and on the outskirts and lay off 1,500 workers, the State of Israel will not purchase the engines from Pratt but from its competitors.
"I am informing the Minister of Defense - the first demonstration will be in front of his office, with 1,500 demonstrators who are all military veterans
. He has the ability to change Pratt & Whitney's decision and sell the plant as a going concern to one of the four entities interested in purchasing it, one of which is an American company.
Until this moment, they have not returned to them and have not advanced the purchase process."
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Nir Barkat, Minister of Economy.
Exclusive responsibility of the Ministry of Defense? (Photo: Reuven Castro)
Responses from the Ministries of Defense and Economy
The Ministry of Economy and Industry stated
that the procedure for selecting suppliers for the defense system is under the absolute authority of the Ministry of Defense.
The Israel Defense Forces enters the picture only after the announcement of a winning supplier by the Ministry of Defense, in accordance with the rules and procedures. The Ministry of Economy leads the enforcement of the mutual procurement obligation and makes sure that in every agreement bound by this,
the response of the Ministry of Defense
is carried out : "The Director of Procurement in the Ministry The defense purchases more than NIS 10 billion each year from thousands of Israeli suppliers, from Dan to Eilat. About a quarter of the procurement is carried out in the periphery and in the settlements of the conflict line in the north and south.
Since the outbreak of the crisis, the Ministry of Defense has worked and continues to work to help find a solution, including with the American company from which the purchase is made with American aid funds, under instructions from the American government.
The Ministry of Defense will continue to act out of its commitment to strengthening Israeli industry"
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Yoav Galant
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