The bus drivers' strike that was planned for today has been canceled

The strike was called off following a statement from the Ministry of Transportation that they were willing to negotiate with the bus drivers' organization and the Histadrut.

This, after the drivers' claims that Transport Minister Meirav Michaeli refuses to meet with them and discuss the upcoming reform with them

Keenan Cohen

30/06/2022

Thursday, 30 June 2022, 09:11 Updated: 09:37

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The bus drivers' strike that was planned for this afternoon (Thursday) has been canceled.

This is due to the Ministry of Transportation's willingness to negotiate with the bus drivers' organization and the Histadrut.

Despite the cancellation of the strike, traffic jams formed on the roads this morning.

Many passengers apparently did not receive the cancellation notice and went to work in private vehicles, which led to heavy congestion on the roads.

The bus drivers went on strike in protest of their terms of employment and personal safety.

The drivers further claimed that they had been abandoned by the Minister of Transportation, Merav Michaeli, and that the Minister refused to meet with them and discuss with them their demands and the forthcoming reform.

"The minister is not willing to meet with us to improve our pay and take care of our safety and well-being," the drivers claimed.

Earlier this week, Sunday, bus drivers shut down public transportation for three hours between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

The companies that sat down are Electra Afikim, Extra, Tnufa, Dan Beer Sheva and Beit Shemesh Express.

The Ministry of Transportation is ready to negotiate with the drivers (Photo: Avi Rokach)

The strike took place against the background of the huge shortage of public transport drivers that has only intensified in recent years.

Attempts by public transport operators to encourage drivers to sit behind the wheel through relatively generous economic incentives, and even budgeting by the Ministry of Transport, have failed in the wake of the violent reality in which drivers are forced to function.

"We went on several unlimited strikes until the minister woke up and took care of the public who are on the road for 14 hours a day and have Israeli transportation alone on their shoulders," the Histadrut said.

The chairman of the workers' committee at Electra Afikim, Raid Mash'al, added that "for us, who drive in Jerusalem, getting on a bus is a battlefield.

You are separated from the children and do not know if you will see them.

Every week a case of violence and every week the police close the case out of lack of public interest.

How does that make sense?

When attacked the state doctor shouts rightly.

But attacking a driver and endangering passengers, how can they move on to the agenda?

We will continue to fight until the state understands that without us there is no public transportation. "

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