The dispute was declared on the background of the deadlock in negotiations to arrange the employment conditions of approximately 1,200 crane operators in all the construction sites in the country
Histadrut Chairman Avi Nissenkorn: "The Histadrut is committed to continue to protect the population of construction workers and crane operators. We will not lend our support to the continuation of the helplessness of the State in the field of safety in the industry”
Chairman of the Construction and Wood Workers’ Union Yitzhak Moyal: "The employment conditions of the crane operators are unbearable, the enforcement in the field by the State is missing to non-existent and has already manifested in loss of human life"
The Histadrut declared a labour dispute in the construction industry, which applies to approximately 1,200 crane operators and tower crane operators who are spread out in thousands of construction sites throughout the country.
In the background of the dispute is a deadlock in negotiations that are being held for approximately half a year with the Israel Builders Association, to arrange all the employment conditions of crane operators, including the issue of the safety of workers, in the framework of a collective agreement.
Histadrut Chairman Avi Nissenkorn said: "The Histadrut is committed to continue to protect all the construction workers in general and the population of crane operators, in particular. This is about human life and basic and reasonable employment conditions of workers who were transparent until now. We will not lend our support to the continuation of the helplessness of the State in the field of safety in the industry. The Histadrut will operate with all its available means in order to take care of the safety of the crane operators and the construction industry workers."
Chairman of the Construction and Wood Workers’ Union, Yitzhak Moyal, said: "The employment conditions of the crane operators are unbearable, the enforcement in the field by the State is missing to non-existent and has already manifested in the loss of human life. As If that wasn't enough, recently the crane operators' wages were harmed by the manpower companies in the field. We had no choice but to take organizational measures in order to protect the workers."
The Action Committee of the Crane Operators: "This is a first of its kind labour dispute in the State of Israel's history that required great courage by the Histadrut, especially in light of the Israel Builders Association's conduct and under the auspices of the zero deterrent power of the legal authorities."