globes 26-12-2012

Bezeq workers committee joins Pelephone strike

Bezeq Israeli Telecommunication Co. Ltd. (TASE: BEZQ) employees are joining the strike by employees at subsidiary Pelephone Communications Ltd., the Histadrut (General Federation of Labor in Israel) announced today. Tomorrow, Bezeq employees will join a demonstration by Pelephone employees, and on Sunday, Bezeq’s workers committee will hold explanation meetings.

The Histadrut said that other workers committees would later join the struggle in solidarity. “If Pelephone’s management continues to harm employees’ freedom to unionize, and does not recognize their union, more measures will be taken,” it said. “More workers committees will join the struggle next week, if Pelephone’s management continues to ignore the workers committee established at the company.”

Sources inform ”Globes” that the Histadrut has been pressing Bezeq workers committee chairman Shlomo Kfir to join the struggle, and has been displeased by his cold shoulder towards Pelephone’s employees, even as 150 other workers committees came out in support of them.

“I call on Pelephone’s CEO to stop ill-treating the workers and to immediately end the incitement against the Histadrut,” said Kfir. “The right to unionize is a basic right by every group and organization in the economy. This is an opportunity by Pelephone’s management to stop and think and hold talks with the Histadrut and the Pelephone workers committee, and to stop ignoring it.”

Pelephone’s workers committee said, “The struggle by Pelephone’s workers is a fight for the right to unionize. Other workers and the general public understand this. I am pleased that Bezeq’s workers, who have collective contracts, are helping us in this struggle.”

Pelephone and Bezeq have declined to comment on the report.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news – www.globes-online.com – on December 26, 2012