Printer-friendly Version8.2.10
Precedent-making decision in favor of 21 "temporary" workers and WAC-MAAN
Regional Labor Court: Manpower Workers in Archaeology must be Employed Directly by IAA after 9 Months
4.3.10
Women's Coalition for Fair Employment
A March of Working Women, followed by an Assembly, in Tel Aviv on International Women's Day—March 8, 2010
Truck driver at centre of Israel’s biggest ever traffic jam earns minimum wage, works around-the-clock to make ends meet
Thousands of cars were stuck for hours in a traffic jam today when a truck overturned on Route 2.
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17.6.09
Demonstration in Jaffa against the Israeli Antiquities Authority and Brick Ltd.
Organized by WAC, the workers demonstrated against their arbitrary layoff by Brick, through which they were hired for the Antiquities Authority for years.
Dozens of Brick employees working at the Israeli Antiquities Authority (IAA), who were dismissed recently, demonstrated in Jaffa on June 16, demanding that they be reinstated as fully-fledged employees of the IAA. The workers, Jews and Arabs from East Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Kiryat Gat, Ashkelon, Wadi Ara and the Galilee, among whom former Russian and Ethiopian immigrants, worked for years at excavation sites of the IAA via Brick, a manpower contractor. Following the Amendment to the Law on Manpower Contractors (2001) in effect as of January 2008, the IAA was obliged to absorb every worker with a term of 9 months of work and higher, as fully-fledged employee.
14.6.09
Jewish and Arab Excavation Workers Protest Against Illegal Layoff
Protest vigil on Tuesday June 16 at 13:30, 36 Yefet St', (the French hospital) Jaffa, by an excavation site of the Authority
Many excavators at archeological excavation sites of the Israeli Antiquities Authority (IAA) have been laid off recently by Brick, a manpower contractor, in an attempt to circumvent from implementing the Amendment to the Law on Manpower Contractors A12 (2001).
10.6.09
Soaring unemployment rates
Position paper submitted to the Knesset Committee on Foreign Workers
According to data published at the end of May by the Central Bureau of Statistics, a dramatic rise in unemployment rates has occurred, calling for a revision of the government's policy on migrant workers. In the first quarter of 2009, more than 7000 construction workers and 2000 laborers in agriculture have lost their job (all Israelis), while the number of migrant workers in 2008 was on the rise.
10.6.09
Musicians Support Brik Workers
Impressions from WAC's fundraising concert
Well-known Israeli rock and jazz musicians played in a benefit concert on April 24 in support of workers fired by the manpower company, Brik. Among the performers were Hemi Rudner, Kobi Oz, Boaz Bannai, Shira Carmel, Yehu Yaron, Shira Arad and Talia Eliav.
4.6.09
Stop Abusive Employment Practices by Brick and the Israel Antiquities Authority
WAC demands the immediate implementation of the Amendment to the Law on Manpower Employees (2001)
Numerous employees of Brick Ltd., manpower contractor for the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), have been illegally laid off recently in an attempt to circumvent their absorption as fully fledged employees after a 9-month term of work, in accordance with the Amendment to the Law on Manpower Employees.
1.6.09
The Eini-Netanyahu Package Deal –A Temporary Truce
Israel's biannual budget bill for 2009-2010
Labor unions around the world are taking to the streets nowadays to demand that governments prioritize workers' interests and secure their jobs.
28.5.09
WAC demands to revoke Brick's license
Applicaiton to the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labour
In an application letter sent recently to Ms. Efrat Gur, in charge of licensing manpower agencies at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labour, Assaf Adiv, CEO of WAC, has demanded that Brick's license be revoked.
25.5.09
The Wisconsin Program 2005-2009
Fiasco of a plan intended to get the chronically employed back into the labour market
Marking the 4th anniversary of the Wisconsin Program in Israel, Sever Plocker, Israel's most renowned financial commentator, criticized its "success" in an editorial published on May 23, in Yediot Aharonot. The program was launched in four trial areas: Jerusalem, Nazareth, Hadera and Ashkelon.
24.5.09
Abusive Employment Practices at AM:PM in Tel Aviv
7.5.09
Labor court session revealed illegal actions
Dubious actions by Brick
The Jerusalem Labor Court discussed the claim of 21 Brick employees to acknowledge them as fully-fledged workers of the Israeli Antiquities Authority (IAA) in accordance with the Amendment to the Law on Manpower Companies A12 (2000).
4.5.09
May 1 Events 2009,
Photo Gallery
3.5.09
Archaeology and Farm Workers Head WAC-MAAN's May 1 Rally in Tel Aviv
May 1 Rally in Tel Aviv
Hundreds of workers and youth, members of WAC-MAAN, marched on May First with the message: "No to unemployment! No to swine capitalism!".
Photo by Erez Wagner and Goni Riskin
28.4.09
Marching for jobs against government policies
May 1 Events
On Friday, May 1, 2009, we shall march for jobs. We shall march against government policies that suck up to big money, policies that offer no solution to the unemployment brought on by the global crisis.
23.4.09
press release
Trade Unions around the World Support Antiquities Authority Workers
Israel Antiquities Authority and the bureau of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Employment’s work relations officer have recently been inundated by thousands of emails calling on them to honor the rights of 21 Antiquities employees from East Jerusalem.
21.4.09
Help Brick workers fight back against their illegal layoff
Join the fight and sign a petition
LabourStart launched an online petition against the illegal layoff of 21 East Jerusalemites.
20.4.09
Come and join us in support of Brick workers from East Jerusalem
Invitation for fundraising event
20.4.09
Illegal collective layoff of Palestinian workers at excavation sites
Abusive Employment Practices at the Antiquities Authority
Dozens working for the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) at the archaeological site of Ras al Amud near Jerusalem were summoned on January 8, 2009 by a representative of Brick, the personnel firm through which they were employed. He told them that all who had worked for more than nine months would not be hired in the future. Four days later, workers at the Um Tuba site, all Brick employees, were told the same thing. None received a letter of dismissal. This, it turns out, is standard procedure at Brick: verbal dismissals without warning.
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14.4.09
A call for messages of protest to the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Ministry of Labor
Support the rights of workers at Israeli archaeological excavations!
WAC-MAAN calls on archaeologists and public-sector trade unions to support the struggle of 21 workers from East Jerusalem, who demand to be employed directly, with full social benefits, by the Israeli Antiquities Authority (IAA). These workers —men aged 45-55 with years of experience—have been employed until now through a personnel company called Brik.
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2.4.09
Discontinuing disability benefits to Gaza Strip residents
Gazan workers hurt in Israel not getting due benefit payments
Article cited from the international edition of Ha'aretz
Thousands of Gazans handicapped in work-related accidents in Israel have not received their National Insurance Institute disability payments since January, Haaretz has learned.
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2.4.09
Gaza Strip residents no longer receiving disabilty benefit payments
The National Insurance Institute has discontinued disability benefit payments to thousands of handicapped in Gaza Strip
Following complaints by four Gaza residents, it turned out that as of January 2009, the National Insurance Institute has discontinued transferring disability benefit payments to residents of Gaza Strip, without prior notice or any apparent reason. Approximately 5000 Palestinians have been receiving these benefits for many years, after being injured in work-related accidents while working legally in Israel.
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1.4.09
The legal battle continues
Solidarity Campaign with Workers of the Antiquities Authority in Jerusalem
Brik workers in front of the Jerusalem labour court
WAC has launched a solidarity campaign with 21 workers of the Antiquities Authority. The workers are residents of East Jerusalem, fired at the beginning of January 2009. The Authority and Brick, manpower company through which they were hired, have violated the stipulations of the law requiring that they be hired directly through the Antiquities Authority.
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22.03.09
Palestinian workers
WAC demands to reopen the compensation settlement
of Pri Galil workers
A group of workers at Pri Galil Industries, represented by WAC and its lawyers, Adv. Eran Golan and Eyad Khalaile, filed an urgent petition to the Haifa district court on March 12, requesting that the terms of the purchase settlement include all workers whatsoever, and that the distribution of compensation (severance pay and other payable social benefits) be equal. The petition was handled on court proceedings re the purchase of Pri Galil by a Supermarket CO. "Hatzi Hinam". continue
International contacts
Egypt's Workers on the Move
Kamal Abbas (52), Director of CTUS in Egypt, has been caught in a maelstrom. During the past year CTUS branches were shut down by order of the Egyptian authorities , perceiving it as inciting for strikes and struggles by workers. Abbas himself, together with his colleague Mr. Mohamed Helmy, was sentenced to one year imprisonment. Only after a continuous legal battle and an international support campaign, were the authorities forced to allow its reopening and repeal the sentence against the unionists. Abbas participated in a conference of the Spanish labour union CCOO in December 2008, where Roni Ben Efrat and Assaf Adiv of WAC Maan interviewed him. continue
Gender
Israeli Arab women march through Tel Aviv demanding jobs
Dozens of women, most of them Israeli Arabs, marched through the streets of Tel Aviv Sunday, calling on the government to find them jobs in agriculture. continue
to an article in Ynet
Farmers insist on more Migrant Workers, blocking Government Plan to employ Israelis in Agriculture
Press release by WAC-MA'AN following a meeting with the Bank of Israel. February 26, 2009
Given a dramatic increase in unemployment, despite government decisions to curtail the number of migrant workers and promote employment of Israelis, WAC-MA'AN (the Workers Advice Center) met with Bank of Israel representatives on February 18. The latter included Ms. Moran Dahan, Assistant to the Bank's Governor, and Ms. Nitza Kasir of the Research Department. From WAC came Assaf Adiv, National Coordinator, and Erez Wagner, Coordinator of the Jerusalem branch. continue
Join WAC Ma'an in supporting:
Protest Vigil of Palestinian Workers in East Jerusalem
Antiquities Authority workers fired illegally by Manpower Company Brik
Express your solidarity and protest with the workers!
The vigil will be held in front of
the Rockefeller Museum – Antiquities Authority offices, Jerusalem
Tues. 3 Feb. 2009 at 15:00
27 Sultan Suleiman St., Jerusalem(near Herod’s Gate)
For further information:
Erez Wagner, WAC Coordinator in Jerusalem –Tel: 054-6343961
WAC Press Release December 30, 2008
WAC-MAAN calls upon trade unions and the international labor movement to pressure their governments to stop Israel’s war on Gaza
On Monday morning, Dec. 29, a Grad missile launched in Gaza hit a construction site in the Israeli city of Ashkelon. It killed Hani al Mahdi, 27 years old, from the Arab town of Aarara in the Negev. It also injured nine workers from the Arab village of Kufr Manda in Galilee. continue
international contacts
WAC at Conference of Spanish Trade Union CCOO
The Spanish trade union CCOO held its four-yearly conference in mid-December, following a seminar organized by partners in FPS, the fund identified with the trade union. Participants came from North Africa, the Maghreb and the Middle East, and included Assaf Adiv, chairman of the Workers Advice Center (WAC), and Roni Ben Efrat, WAC’s international relations coordinator, who were present at both events. continue
