Histadrut Threatens Strike Over Unpaid Bonuses

Israelis, get ready: The Histadrut has threatened yet another nationwide strike, this one set for next Tuesday. The strike will take place unless local authorities pay some 100,000 workers a promised end-of-year bonus.

All local services, including schools and garbage collection, would be affected if the strike were to take place. The local authorities have refused to pay the bonuses, saying that the government has not come through with promised support, and that they cannot afford to pay out the funds without bankrupting themselves unless that support comes through.

According to the contract signed by the Finance Ministry and the Histadrut in December, the local authorities agreed to give each worker a one-time bonus of NIS 2,000. NIS 1,000 of that is due now, and the second half was to be paid in January 2017.

In a statement, the national body representing local authorities said that it “reiterated it’s all for the state to do its part to support this agreement, without which we cannot fulfill our obligation.”