Trade Union Friends of Israel

In January 2006, Ofer Eini was elected to the position of Chairman of the New Histadrut. He quickly emphasized that the Trade Union Department of the organisation, representing workers, negotiating agreements, should be at the heart of the work of the Histadrut. Thus, the Histadrut continues to fulfill its main role as the representative of the employees, the sole body that protects workers’ rights, their employment conditions, promotes their interests and protects their dignity at work. Strengthening trade unions will strengthen the Histadruts’ influence on social issues since part of these issues include both trade union and social components (i.e.: Compulsory Pension for all workers)

The New Histadrut has many affiliates that are concerned with the local organisation of labour, signing collective agreements and implementing them. The Histadrut represents workers in every sector of employment that exists in the Israeli economy such as: food, hotels and tourism, academics, printers, engineers, psychologists, social workers, pensioners, journalists, clerks and more. These trade unions provide a supporting service all over the country to approximately 700,000 members’ of the Histadrut.

The members’ of the Histadrut receive a wide variety of services: trade union, and individual legal counseling services by professional advocates, education provision, professional training, aid for working women and much more, in 29 regional branches countrywide.

The Histadrut is committed to defending and protecting the working conditions of hundreds of thousands of Israeli, Palestinian and migrant workers in Israel. Histadrut has a policy to encourage the employment of Palestinian workers rather than foreign migrant workers from far-off countries. It is our view that only by working together, can the two peoples, Israelis and Palestinians, get a common understanding of each other, live in peace together and achieve economic prosperity and social stability.

Today, the Histadrut and its leadership continue to achieve important and meaningful accomplishments in the professional and public arenas.

The Histadrut has had many struggles on behalf of workers and pensioners in order to improve their rights and status. Struggles that have tremendously influenced labour relations in Israel and play a huge role in influencing the public, Israeli society and economic life in general. The Histadrut has influenced and negotiated a considerable amount of labour law, in order to secure workers’ rights and make their status de jure as well as de facto.

Eini initiated the resumption of the cooperation between the three components in the Israeli economic “triangle”: workers, private employers and government.

A prominent example of the results of cooperation in the past is “the Agreement of the Stability of the Economy” from 1985, when these three main bodies jointly cooperated in order to decrease Israeli inflation from a staggering 445% in 1984 to 18% in 1986. A secondary example from the last era is the Agreement of the Payment of Wages due to the war in the north that was signed in agreement with the three sides in July 2006. The threat of rocket attacks during the July 2006 conflict prevented many workers in the north of Israel from attending work. None of these workers were entitled to pay due to the compelled absence.

However, the Histadrut intervened and negotiated with the employers and government a new law that would mean that all workers would receive their full pay when they were absent from work under these conditions. The agreement stipulated that remunerations will be paid to the employer from the state only after the latter paid full pay to employees who were obliged to be absent from their work under these circumstances. This agreement illustrates the atmosphere of full cooperation with the private employers that have been led by Eini since the beginning of his tenure as Histadrut’s Chairman.

The breaking of this historical alliance was damaging to the Israeli economy. With only a few benefiting in the last few years when the Israeli economy suffered from continuous recession, which caused severe damage to the industrial sector of the economy and hardship for many workers.

Today, the three heads of the triangle have an interest to cooperate jointly: Histadrut, which represents the organised worker, is interested in cooperating with the employers’ umbrellla organisation, in order to sign collective agreements that anchor rights for all the workers. The State prefers to conduct business with one workers’ organisation that acts responsibly, rather than a loose federation of workers’ committees. The employers, as well, prefer to negotiate with one workers organisation.

These three groups working together therefore, have a comprehensive range of responsibilities and not just narrow interests. As a result of this cooperation, labour relations have been conducted through dialogue and negotiations rather than unilateral legislation. Of course the right to strike and take industrial action cannot be ruled out but remains as a last resource in order to achieve our goals and protect workers’ rights.

Eini believes that the resumption of the “triangle” does not have to exist only in times of emergency; it can be a catalyst for growth for the economy at all times. When every stakeholder is signed up to cooperate for economic growth, more workers are hired, the employers gain more profits, the state collects more taxes and the entire public benefits from greater welfare and prosperity.

Trade unions throughout the world operate in a climate where governments and employers constantly strive to trample on the rights of workers and pensioners through unrestrained globalisation and privatisation as well as unilateral legislation that undermines workers rights.

Eini is convinced that one of the main means that will assist us in strengthening the status of workers and pensioners is in the cooperation, fostering of good relations and the creation of solidarity and brotherhood between Israeli workers and their counterparts throughout the world. The Histadrut sees cooperation -- mutual visits and exchange of information - as an important tool to learn from widespread experiences from different countries, which will assist in any struggle or campaign that we will have in the future.

Eini has focused on promoting and strengthening workers and pensioners’ rights (i.e. assuring compulsory pensions to all the workers), providing further services to the Histadrut’s members and repositioning Israeli labour relations to deal with 21st century developments, such as: privatisation, globalisation, technology, etc.

Eini has taken a great interest in promoting and supporting the role of the shop steward in our organisation by providing further professional knowledge and the necessary tools to the activists of the Histadrut. Eini views the private sector (where the majority of workers are not unionised) and sub-contract employees as a target group whose work conditions must be improved as well, in order to increase affiliates to our organisation and to build greater cooperation with private sector employers.

Eini has worked to strengthen the relations between the Histadrut and the Arab Confederations in general and with PGFTU in particular to promote the peace process in our region.

Since its establishment, the State of Israel has been engaged, on various fronts, in a bloody struggle accompanied by loss and bereavement. However it has never lost the hope for peace and continues to cultivate the path for peace while maintaining a defence capability that ensures its existence.

The Histadrut shares the view that the foundation for a resolution to the conflict lies in the willingness of both sides to make concessions.

Over the years, the Histadrut has made a large contribution to achieving this objective and will continue to act within its sphere of influence. Our goal is one of attaining a comprehensive and viable peace between Israel and its neighbours. This has to be carried out through negotiations aimed at ending this tragic conflict and preventing the unnecessary suffering of civilians on both sides.

The Histadrut will continue to cultivate a relationship with the PGFTU (Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions). We recognise the significance of these relations, the link between the two economies, as well as the rights of all workers, as a stimulus for advancing the peace process.

The Histadrut makes a clear distinction between the Palestinian government and the trade unions which are affiliated to PGFTU, headed by General Secretary Shaher Sae'd. They recognise the basic right of Israel to exist, want to promote co-existence between Israelis and Palestinians, oppose terror and do seek cooperation with the Histadrut.

The Histadrut strives to cooperate with the PGFTU and any other Palestinian NGOs that promote the peace process in our region. We also work with fellow trade unions throughout the world in order to protect workers and pensioners and protect their rights in our region.

Furthermore, we believe that there is an international obligation on us to promote and strengthen the relationship between the Israeli and Palestinian trade unions, in order to promote the peace process. We believe that the Palestinian trade unions are an appropriate answer to the Palestinian workers' needs and problems.

Finally, the Histadrut calls on all worldwide labour organisations to use their influence on governments in an intensive struggle to repulse these manifestations of anti-Semitism, the grave consequences of which humanity has already suffered in the past.

Trade unions are called upon to act to remove any boycott against the Israeli economy. The effect of such a boycott can only cause harm to Israeli workers organised in fellow trade unions. Furthermore, the Histadrut believes that all trade unions in the Middle East should take steps to initiate joint activities with the Histadrut for the benefit all workers in the region, to promote peace and create economic stability.

Ofer Eini, January 2007