Industry leaders began legal proceedings against port workers committee members over strike

Several leading Israeli firms: Bagir, Solbar Hatzor, Caesarea Wardinon Industries, and SPE Solbar Extracts plant filed personal damage claims against the Histadrut – trade union Federation of Labor, and the ports of Haifa and Ashdod workers committees.
 
The claims, valued at NIS 2.85 millions, are for damages caused to the companies by the recent port strike.
 
Bagir is suing for NIS 1.253 million, Caesarea Wardinon, NIS 155,000, and Solbar Industries (TASE: SLBR), Solbar Hatzor, and Solbar Plant Extracts for a combined NIS 1.44 million.
 
In a press release issued by the manufacturers association the press officer noted that these claims bring personal claims filed, to date, for damages caused by the recent port strike to a total of NIS 7 million. A previous claim filed by ten firms amounted to over NIS 4 million. The number of enterprises that have filed personal claims against the Histadrut and Haifa and Ashdod port workers committees, is now fifteen.
 
The current claims include personal damage claims against David Perez Haifa Port workers committee chairman, Meir Turgeman Haifa Port workers committee membe, Mr. Alon Hasson Ashdod Port heavy machinery operators committee chairman & Mr. Sami Pinto Ashdod Port workers committee chairman. Included in the claim are 20 other members of the Haifa and Ashdod port workers committees.
 
The claim alleges that “The companies were unable to meet their contractual commitments to supply products and therefore were forced to pay large sums of money to minimize their damage, as a result of the strike, in which the respondents violated not only the laws of the land but also a Labor Court injunction given on 22.07.2004”.