After months of struggle, the Histadrut formally announced a labor dispute in the crane operation industry last week. That announcement came after employers delayed negotiations around the renewal of a rider to the collective agreement under which 2,000 crane operators work. For nearly a year, the Israel Builders Association, which represents 2,000 employers in the field of construction, has ignored numerous requests for talks from the national crane operators union and the Histadrut itself.
“Workers in the industry, who in any case suffer from hardship due to the effects of the war, are also experiencing difficulties in the elementary issue of improving their working conditions,” Yitzhak Moyal, chair of the Histadrut construction workers union, said. “It can’t be that the Israel Builders Association ignores our legitimate demands to meet for negotiations to improve working conditions and workers’ rights.”
Moyal said that the negotiations focused on workers safety, wages, and working conditions. “I call on the Israel Builders Association to come to their senses and to enter willingly into negotiations,” he said.
Roee Weinstein, chair of the national crane operators union, said that crane workers were reluctant to strike but insisted on having their demands met.
“The community of crane operators is an extremely important link in the construction industry, and these dedicated employees continue their work, even during a period of emergency, out of a sense of personal and national responsibility,” he said. “A strong construction industry is a significant element in preserving Israel’s economic resilience. That’s why it’s legitimate to request that just, transparent, and responsible negotiations are held with us that will respond to our demands.”
The Histadrut noted that if the Israel Builders Association did not agree to hold negotiations with the workers’ representatives and the Histadrut, the workers would be forced to escalate.
This article was translated from Hebrew and lightly edited for context by Leah Schwartz.
