TUC votes to “review” relations with Israeli organisations

The TUC passed a motion on 14 September calling on its affiliates to review any bilateral relations with Israeli organisations.  An amendment, which was proposed by the PCS union, stated that unions should review their relations with all Israeli organisations, including the Histadrut (Israeli TUC).

The move risks isolating the TUC from any active role in developing union solidarity between the Histadrut and the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGTFU), and could also hamper Britain’s role at the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), of which the Histadrut and PGFTU are both respected members.   

However, despite the widespread criticism of the TUC’s naive approach, the director of TUFI, Steve Scott, has said that the “review” should be taken as an opportunity for trade unions in the UK to learn more about the great work the Histadrut is doing representing workers in Israel, co-operating with Palestinian trade unions and encouraging the Israeli government to enter into negotiations with the Palestinian Authority. 

Speaking after the TUC Congress, Mr Scott said:  “Israel has a strong trade union movement.  Over the last few years, the Histadrut has negotiated a five percent wage rise for all public sector workers and pension cover for the entire private sector workforce.  I call on all UK unions to bring their Israeli counterparts to the UK to learn more about Israeli trade unionism as well as their work for peace with the Palestinians”.

Palestinians present their unilateral statehood motion to the UN

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has submitted a request to the United Nations Security Council for a non-negotiated Palestinian state, despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeating that he is willing to hold direct negotiations.

The Security Council is currently considering the request although the United States has said it will use its position as a permanent member of the council to veto the bid.  Addressing world leaders at the opening of the UN General Assembly session on 21 September, US President Barack Obama said that peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians will come about through negotiation, not resolutions at the UN. He asserted that:

“There is no short cut to the end of a conflict that has endured for decades. Peace is hard work. Peace will not come through statements and resolutions at the United Nations... Ultimately, it is Israelis and Palestinians who must live side by side, ultimately, it is Israelis and Palestinians – not us – who must reach agreement on the issues that divide them: on borders and security; on refugees and Jerusalem.”  (21/09/11)

The Middle East Quartet (EU, UN, US and Russia) is in the process of trying to formulate a framework for resumed peace negotiations that can earn the trust of both sides.

Biggest ever public protests in Israel as almost half a million people call for reduced cost of living and social justice

Almost half a million people marched across Israel on 3 September as part of the social protests in Israel. The “March of the Million” protest saw 300,000 people gather in Tel Aviv and an unprecedented 50,000 gather in Jerusalem, culminating in the largest protest ever seen in Israeli history – involving up to 6 percent of the population.

Following the march, the protest leaders said that it was time for the demonstrations to move onto another phase, and for the dismantling of the protest ‘tent cities’ that have sprouted across the country in the last two months. Instead, the activists are establishing “community-based protest movements” to campaign for social justice and better welfare provisions.

New agreement between Histadrut and the Associations of Contractors and Builders

A new agreement between the Histadrut and the Associations of Contractors and Builders has been signed which raises the minimum wage in the Israeli construction sector to NIS 5,000 a month (equivalent to £860). It is thought that this agreement will affect 100,000 low-wage workers in the construction sector and it will also apply to both the migrant workers and Palestinian workers employed in the sector.

This is a higher wage than the minimum wage in the general Israeli economy, which currently stands at NIS 4,100 a month (equivalent to £705).  This is set to increase to NIS 4,300 (equivalent to £740) by October 2012.

The agreement also determines that construction workers who are already at the wage level of the new sector minimum wage, will undergo a professional course by January 2012 and then receive a pay increase.

Commenting on the agreement, Ofer Eini, the Chairman of the Histadrut, said: "I very much hope that more sectors will follow the contractors and increase the minimum wage. This is a good way to increase the salaries of low-wage earners in the economy”.

Court in Israel orders Israel Railways to freeze outsourcing until it negotiates with its workforce

A Labour Court in Israel has ruled that Israel Railways must freeze its plans to outsource maintenance of its trains until it has negotiated with its workers.  The court also ruled that Israel Railways employees on strike must return to work in order to join the negotiations.  

The court ruled on 28 September that the two sides must conduct negotiations over the next three weeks and then report back on their progress.  The judge, Nili Arad, also ordered workers to report to the court before taking any further industrial action.

The Histadrut (Israeli TUC), which organised the strike, has argued that the plan to outsource maintenance amounts to privatisation and will only serve to harm employees. 

El Al suspends overtime and cuts flight stewards

El Al Israel Airlines has announced new cost-cutting measures and has notified employees that it is suspending overtime and halting work on Saturdays in departments that were previously required to work on the weekend.

El Al's management told its workers’ committee that this was just the first step, and that it would open negotiations on a comprehensive streamlining plan on job conditions.

Responding to these announcements, Yossi Levy, the chairman of El Al’s workers’ committee said that if El Al has to cut costs it should first “narrow the gap between workers and management”.  He said it was “unacceptable that workers earn NIS 4,500 a month while executives take home over NIS 300,000”.

Histadrut warns of new strikes by Meuhedet staff

Over 4,000 workers at the third largest health maintenance organisation in Israel, Kupat Holim Meuhedet, are threatening to go on strike to protest against the management’s failure to recognise the Histadrut (Israeli TUC) as their representative body.

Kupat Holim Meuhedet says it has a “work committee” that represents staff, but the Histadrut claims that this committee is not independent and is run under the management’s auspices.  

In February, more than a third of the staff joined the Histadrut, making it the official representative of the employees, however senior management at the company still insist on going through its own “work committee”. 

Arnon Bar-David, a Histadrut spokesman said that Meuhedet’s position was one of the “most disturbing arguments” he had heard in his “decades of work as a trade unionist”.

Shelly Yachimovich elected as new leader of the Israeli Labor party leader

Shelly Yachimovich has won the Labor party leadership contest in Israel, receiving 9 percent more votes from Labor members than MK Amir Peretz.  She is the first woman to lead the Labor party since Golda Meir. Upon winning, Yachimovich urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to recognise a Palestinian state alongside Israel as part of negotiations and told her supporters:

“We intend to be the bridge between the historic Labor movement and the new winds blowing on the street... We are a new non-sectarian party. We are committed to the poor and the rich, to Right and Left, to Haredim and seculars, to Arabs and Jews.” (21/09/11)

Over 22,000 Labor party members voted in the second round, a 61 percent turnout.  The majority of Yachimovich’s supporters came from younger members and those involved in the recent social protests, and her win has been noted as an opportunity to reshape the party and improve its electoral fortunes.

Solar field installation to be built alongside one of southern Israel’s Bedouin communities

The Israeli government has approved a plan for a photovoltaic solar installation adjacent to the southern Israeli Bedouin community of Tirabin al-Sana, a joint project between the Bedouin Tirabin tribe and the Arava Power Company. The government stated that the $30 million investment represents a renewed commitment to bettering the lives of Israel’s minorities.  The 8 megawatt, 37 acres solar installation will be the first of its kind in the area.

Jon Cohen, CEO of Arava said: “This community can become a vital and significant supplier of solar energy in Israel...This is both an economic and social investment that will advance the Bedouin population in the Negev”.

UN flotilla report finds Gaza blockade legal and that interception of ships was lawful

The UN Palmer Report has concluded that Israel’s blockade on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip is legal and that Israel was acting lawfully when it intercepted and boarded a flotilla of ships headed to the territory last May. However, the report which was formally presented to the UN Secretary-General on 9 September, also concluded that the Israeli Army used “excessive force” when dealing with the activists who attacked the Israeli soldiers on board.  Nine of the flotilla participants, all Turkish citizens, were killed after they used knives and other metal implements against the soldiers.

Israel border police demolish three Israeli homes in an illegal West Bank outpost

Israeli border police demolished three Israeli homes in the West Bank on 5 September in a non-sanctioned settlement near Ramallah. The residents had recently lost an appeal against a High Court ruling that the settlement was illegal because it was on private Palestinian land. The demolition was relatively calm with only six settlers arrested after clashes with the police. However, following an arson attack on a nearby mosque and Israeli police vehicles, suspected to have been committed by extremist elements within the settler community, the police have established a task force to crack-down on the problem. Prime Minister Netanyahu called the actions of the arsonists “despicable” and “criminal”.

Israel accepted as a member of the CERN particle accelerator project

Israel has officially become a formal associate member of the Centre of European Nuclear Research (CERN) particle accelerator project. Israel was one of five countries unanimously accepted as a new member. Israeli Ambassador Aharon Leshno-Yaar, permanent representative of Israel to the UN in Geneva, said on 17 September:

“It is my honour and pleasure to sign today, on behalf of the State of Israel, the agreement admitting Israel as an Associate Member for the pre stage to membership at CERN. It is a testimony of the recognition of Israel’s scientific and technological capabilities, of the quality of its scientists, of its contribution throughout many years to the research activities of CERN and it is an additional building block in Israel’s involvement in scientific projects in Europe.” (17/09/11)