Government Intervenes in Ceramics Workers Dispute

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and other senior officials intervened in the labor dispute at a ceramics factory in the south where 140 workers are fighting to keep their jobs, The Jerusalem Post reported on Tuesday.

A labor court ordered Negev Ceramics in Yerucham to postpone layoffs for a month, to give time for last-ditch negotiations between management, the workers committee and the Histradut labor federation.

A brief meeting was held on Monday with Netanyahu and union reps to find a way to avert the firings.

“We’re not political, we just want to work. In the meeting with the prime minister, he said he’ll check and he’ll get back to us, that they’ll try to take care of the problem,” said Avi Ben-Abo, a representative of the workers committee.

“We spoke in a very personal matter, and we told [Netanyahu] to help us, to help the periphery,” said Ben-Abo, adding, “because this is like a war of terror against the industry.”

The union representatives then held longer meetings with Economy Minister Eli Cohen and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon.

Part of the dispute centers on the financial condition of Negev Ceramics. The company claims it is losing NIS 2 million ($700,000) monthly by operating the plant; its only one in Israel, while the union insists they are making a profit.

“The plant is not losing any money,” said Tomer Marciano, a negotiator on behalf of the workers. While it is true that imported porcelain tiles are cheaper than those made in Israel (26 shekels per meter versus 40), at a sale price of about 100 shekels per meter, Negev Ceremanics is still able to make a profit.

Actually, only 15 percent of its sales come from Israeli-made tiles in Yeruham; the rest is from imports.

A spokesperson for Negev Ceramics was not available for comment.