Strike shuts Ashdod Port – Globes

This morning, the employees committee on the Port of Ashdod, which is affiliated with the Histadrut (Basic Federation of Labor in Israel), introduced “organizational measures” which the port’s administration has described as “a wildcat strike.” The committee says that that motive for the strike is that choice is being given to short-term employees in work shifts on the expense of veteran workers.

The Histadrut mentioned in a press release: “The administration of the Port of Ashdod has did not abide by agreements with the employees committee. Organizational measures are actually going down of the Port of Ashdod. Knowledgeable staff of the Transport and Ports Union is in discussions with the administration and the employees committee.”

The short-term employees have been employed due to the queues which have constructed up exterior the port, which in the course of the struggle has additionally offered numerous providers to the armed forces.

Final October, the port’s board of administrators introduced approval for the hiring of 85 short-term stevedores, for intervals of as much as two years, in accordance with agreements signed with the Histadrut.

A press release issued this morning on behalf of the Port of Ashdod says: “The operations committee on the Port of Ashdod started a wildcat, unlawful strike this morning, with out warning, and opposite to agreements signed between the corporate and the Histadrut, that has brought on exercise on the port to be shut down. The Ashdod Port Firm doesn’t intend to just accept such conduct, and has already approached the Labor Court docket this morning to take care of the matter.”

Hiring further manpower is essential to the hassle to cut back the queues which have constructed up exterior Israel’s ports, which have grown worse for the reason that ceasefire within the north. This morning, 24 ships have been ready exterior the Port of Ashdod, and one other 30 have been ready exterior the ports within the north. Metal importers have warned of a scarcity of metal at constructing websites, and declare that NIS 150 million price of metal is floating in site visitors jams on the ports. They’re demanding that the federal government ought to attain an association on the ports to liberate quays that presently deal with containers for basic cargo resembling metal and wooden. Constructing contractors to whom “Globes” spoke mentioned that there was no issue at current.

Printed by Globes, Israel enterprise information – en.globes.co.il – on January 5, 2025.