National Labor Tribunal orders port employees back to work

As a result of the labor disruptions, 50 ships were stranded at the ports last week waiting unloading / loading operation. Many vessels left without taking export goods
 
The National Labor Tribunal ordered on Tuesday night all Israel's port employees to return to full capacity work at 6 a .m. Wednesday morning.
 
The court also gave the government, Histadrut labor federation and private employees three weeks to negotiate the disagreements between port workers and the treasury, during which workers are not to strike.
 
The court decision, handed downby an extended panel of seven judges headed by Judge Steve Adler, was made following labor sanctions launched on august 25th by Ashdod and Haifa port workers to protest a clause in the 2009 Economic Arrangements Bill passed by the cabinet. The clause in the 2009 Economic Arrangements Bill would allow the Israel Ports Company to manage port operations at the ports in addition to the agreed role of acting as Israel's port-property landlord, which entails managing the government's assets allocated for the facilitation of its international maritime commerce
 
The National Labor Tribunal ruled that negotiations by the government will be conducted on the ministerial level.
 
Until the date of the next hearing, September 21, Minister of Finance Ronnie Bar-On, Minister of Transport Shaul Mofaz, and Histadrut chairman Ofer Eini will negotiate.
 
The judges also ruled that the government would refrainfrom carrying out its decision to restructure the ports, which would allow docks to be leased to external operators. Data released by the Manufacturers Association shows that the eight days of disrupted work at the ports had inflicted NIS 1.9 billion in damages to businesses.
 
As a result of the labor disruptions, 50 ships were stranded at the ports last week waiting unloading / loading operation. Many vessels left without taking export goods, while shipping companies such as MSC, Zim Integrated Shipping Services declared "Termination of Voyage" and started to divert cargos to ports in Turkey - Mersin, Cyprus - Limassol and Egypt.