Tel Aviv District Labor Court Judge Yitzhak Lubotzky today issued an injunction ordering Israel Airports Authority employees back to work until a second hearing on a permanent injunction tomorrow morning at 9 am. He also ordered all the parties - the Airports Authority, its employees, and the Histadrut (General Federation of Labor in Israel) - to try to settle their dispute at a meeting today. The dispute involves salaries, job structure, the workers committee's demand for permanent jobs for 200 temporary employees, and other issues.

The Airports Authority employees returned to regular work after the court issued a temporary injunction last night, ahead of today's hearing, but flights at Ben Gurion Airport are still delayed by two to three hours.

The dispute between the Airport Authority's management and workers committee erupted several months ago, when the workers committee demanded a pay hike and permanent jobs for 800 temporary employees. Last week, the workers committee called a general meeting, which disrupted airlines' timetables at the airports.

Last night, the workers committee announced a strike at Ben Gurion Airport. The Airport Authority's management told the workers committee that it would not negotiate until the employees returned to work. The court order this morning enables the negotiations to continue.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on November 10, 2008

Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2008