70,000 civil servants threaten to strike following the splitting of government ministries Israel today

Strike on the way?

The Chairman of the General Histadrut Arnon Bar-David today (Thursday) approved the request of the head of the Histadrut of State Employees Ofir Alkalai to announce a labor dispute in the government ministries and the intention to start a strike on January 19. The background to the conflict is the intention of the new government to split various government ministries One-sided and without talking to the workers. Ofir Alkalai said: "I will stand as a wall against unilateral measures."

This is the first labor dispute since the new government was established and it concerns approximately 70,000 workers who are represented by the Histadrut and work in government offices.

In a letter delivered today by the chairman of the organization, Doran Karni, to the chief supervisor of labor relations at the Ministry of Labor and Welfare, attorney Rivka Verbner, it is stated that the conflict was initiated due to the intention "to transfer responsibility for government units from ministry to ministry, as well as the intention to establish new ministries consisting of from units in existing offices".

Histadrut chairman Arnon Bar-David authorized the Histadrut State Employees to declare a labor dispute, photo: Histadrut spokespeople

It is further stated that "even though these actions have significant consequences for the occupational security of the employees, their working conditions and their wages, the changes are being made without negotiations with the workers' representatives regarding these consequences, as required by the long-standing labor relations system.

This is conduct in bad faith, seriously harming the customary collective labor relations system."

As part of the transfer of the units between the government ministries, it was decided that the Ministry of Education, which in the past had already suffered the removal of a significant portion of its activity with the creation of the portfolio for higher education, will once again suffer damage to its status, with the removal of the unit for external contents from it and its transfer to a deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Office - Avi Maoz.

The 37th government.

First labor dispute since the new government was established, photo: Oren Ben Hakon

Government offices.

The employees are angry that they did not discuss the splits with them, photo: Oren Ben Hakon

The labor branch, which is currently under the Ministry of Economy, is expected to split into three different ministries.

The Histadrut says that this type of separation can cause massive damage to the conditions of the workers.

Also, according to the coalition agreement, the Green Patrol and the Green Police, which were part of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, will move to the Ministry of National Security (formerly the Ministry of Internal Security).

The Land Enforcement Authority, which was part of the Ministry of the Interior, will also move to the Ministry of National Security.

Also, the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage was split and today it is called the Ministry for Jerusalem and Tradition.

The part responsible for the heritage will be transferred to another file, and the Antiquities Authority and the Council for the Preservation of Sites will be attached to it.

The Ministry of the Negev, the Galilee and Social Resilience (formerly the Ministry of the Negev and the Galilee) will include the care of senior citizens and the youth centers, which until now were under the authority of the Ministry for Social Equality.

As with any labor dispute, the crisis is expected to come to the attention of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who is known for his policy against strikes.

The chairman of the Histadrut Arnon Bar David spoke out against the economic concept of Smotrich, who is associated with the Vaiim Ecclesiastical Forum: "I am not suggesting that anyone test my level of patience.

When it comes to canceling the labor courts or harming organized labor, surely the Histadrut waves the flag of opposition." 

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