A group of 500 rabbis filed suit against the state and the Union of Local Authorities yesterday, demanding millions of shekels in raises for wage erosion over 2002-2004 and 2006-2008, the Israeli newspaper Haarets reports in a Business Brief column.

The rabbis, who belong to Histadrut labour federation, have asked the National Labour court to order the state and the ULA to pay compensation for withholding wages, along with interest and linkage to the consumer price index.

The group claims the treasury has not kept the collective bargaining agreement signed with the Histadrut in 1988, which requires evaluating every two years whether their salaries have eroded versus certain other groups of public employees. (Haim Bior)

	Advertisement

Today's Australian Jewish News is running the following news item about the global trade union protests against the Iranian regime.

In an unusual partnership the Jewish community recently joined with Australia’s union movement to protest labour conditions in Iran.

According to reports, about 100 unionists gathered outside the Iranian Embassy in Canberra last Friday.

The crowd wanted to present the ambassador with a letter from the Australian Council of Trade Unions calling for the Iranian  government to respect basic workers’ rights.

Before the protest, Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) president Robert Goot said, “ The ECAJ expresses its solidarity with Australian trade unionists and other Australians in calling upon the Australian, and other governments, and the International Labour Organisation to increase pressure on the Iranian Government to stop assassination attempts, persecution, arrests, threats, violence and other repressive measures against workers and labour activists.”

He explained that the International Labour Organisation – a UN-associated organization to which Iran belongs – found Iran had violated discrimination conventions.

Iranian employers and educational institutions had been noted in their discrimination against minority groups, namely the Jewish and Baha’I communities.

“ Discrimination in employment on the basis of religion is especially entrenched with regard to posts within the judicial system, election to Islamic labour councils and access to university education,” Goot said.

While the Iranian ambassador Mahmoud Movahhedi refused to meet with protestors, Kim Sattler, secretary of Unions ACT, asked police outside the embassy to pass on a letter.

The protest was part of a global action day of justice for Iranian workers, with similar events held overseas in places like Belgium, Thailand, Japan and Nigeria.

The leadership of the Australian Jewish community has issued a statement backing protests in Canberra and across the globe tomorrow over the continued persecution and harassment of trade union activists in Iran.

" Iranian labour activists are facing some of the harshest conditions in the world," Robert Goot AM SC, the president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry said.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ), on behalf of the Australian Jewish community, issued the statement to join with Australian trade unions who will be protesting in Canberra tomorrow ( Friday) at midday in front of the Islamic Republic of Iran's embassy.

Persecuted, kidnapped, jailed, beaten

"For merely expressing their opinions and engaging in peaceful organising activities, they are frequently sacked from workplaces, persecuted, kidnapped, jailed, beaten or exiled.

" Iranian labour leaders, like Mansour Osanlu, Mahmoud Salehi and Ebrahim Madadi, have repeatedly been incarcerated, beaten and deprived of urgent and necessary medical treatment while their health is at great risk.

" These three leaders have also been the targets of assassination attempts by Iranian government agents seeking to terrorise and crush the rising progressive labour movement in the country.

Assasination attempts on labour activists

" The assassination attempts on the lives of Iranian labour activists must be condemned forcefully by workers and their organisations and all fair-minded people all over the world," Robert Goot said.

" Although the Islamic Republic of Iran is a member of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and a party to its conventions, the Iranian government systematically represses all independent activities of workers in Iran.

Workplace discrimination against Baha'i and Jewish communities

" The ILO has found that the Islamic Republic of Iran is in violation of the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. C111) because of widespread inequality in access to employment and educational opportunities afforded to members of religious minority groups, including the Baha'i and Jewish communities, who do not enjoy equality of treatment in practice.

" Discrimination in employment on the basis of religion is especially entrenched with regard to posts within the judiciary system, election to Islamic Labour Councils and access to university education.

ECAJ expresses solidarity with Australian trade union calls on Iran to honour ILO obligations

" The ILO has also expressed its "concern with regard to the lack of equality for women in society and at work".

" The ECAJ expresses its solidarity with Australian trade unionists and other Australians in calling upon the Australian and other governments and the ILO, to increase pressure on the Iranian government to stop the assassination attempts, persecutions, arrests, threats, violence and other repressive measures against workers and labour activists and to honour Iran's treaty obligations," the ECAJ statement by Robert Goot concluded.

Get more details about the Justice for Iranian Workers campaign

The Australian Jewish community has released an important Statement of Principles supporting the role of Australian unions in the current global economic crisis.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions is scheduled to hold its Congress in Brisbane, Queensland, at the start of June. This Congress - the highest decision-making body of the Australian trade union movement - is expected to have a special focus on the effects of the global economic crisis on working Australians.

The statement issued  by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry - and signed by the national president and the presidents of all Australian state and territory Jewish organisations  - reads:

ECAJ Statement of Principles about Unions and the Jewish community

The Australian Jewish community, because of its long held commitment to social harmony and inclusion, calls on all employers to treat their workers with respect and decency in these hard economic times and, wherever possible, to keep providing real employment opportunities for them.

The current global economic crisis brings with it the potential for social divisions and a fracturing of civil society, including outbreaks of racism and xenophobia, especially if unemployment continues to rise and there is severe competition for available jobs.

The Australian Jewish community therefore urges all Australians to be vigilant against racist or xenophobic attacks on, or scapegoating of, any sector of our society,

Traditional Jewish religious texts strongly advocate the rights of workers, and firmly support their right to form and join unions.  In the 21^st century we continue to honour those traditions and to support the right to freedom of association in Australia.  See further on labour rights in the Jewish tradition.

Many members of the Jewish community are members of their respective trade unions and the Australian Jewish community respects the role and responsibility of Australian Trade Unions to voice concerns that workers be treated with respect and decency and to stand up for the job security of their members.

We believe that both unions and employers have important roles to play in this current global economic crisis – to ensure that Australia’s fair go traditions are maintained for all peoples living in our great country and that organisations providing employment for Australians remain strong.

Strong and independent civil society organisations like Trade Unions and a vibrant private and corporate sector are essential elements of a democratic society that respects human rights and the rule of law.

The ECAJ adopts the above Statement of Principles and will promote them to leaders of all organisations representing employers and workers, through the general and Jewish media and on our communal websites.

Congratulation

On the Occasion of International Labor Day

Trade Unions of Public Services in Palestine is sending their warm Congratulations for all liberals worldwide on the occasion of International Labor Day. This is the day on the struggle of workers against forces of injustice and exploitation.

Trade Unions of Public Services use this opportunity to call all peace builders in the world to raise their voices to condemn the war against the Palestinians in Gaza which resulted in 1450 martyrs, more than 5000 injured where the majority from children and women.

Besides thousands of destroyed houses and tens of hospitals, mosques and civil buildings and thousands of donems devastated land.

Also we would like to stress on the importance of stopping the Israelian aggression and siege against the Palestinian and to lobby more towards free movement for the civilians especially the patients and emergency cases who need to receive treatment outside Gaza and to allow the products and raw materials needed for Gaza reconstruction to enter through borders.

In this occasion and while we are celebrating labors victories in front of the arsenals of exploitation, we call for labors unity in all world against all economical and social strong inequality.

We call also to strengthening the solidarity between labors, unions and liberals worldwide.

The National Coordinator for Trade Unions of Public Services in Palestine - Gaza

Elyas El Jelda

Pstu_gaza@yahoo.com    

 On Wednesday 22 April 2009 the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) overwhelmingly endorsed a recommendation to boycott Israeli goods and produce as well as “review” its relationship with the Histadrut (Israeli TUC).
 
This follows a two-year “consultation” process by the STUC into the merits of a boycott, sanctions and disinvestment (BDS) campaign against Israel.
 
Commenting on the STUC's decision, Roger Lyons, Chair of Trade Union Friends of Israel (TUFI), said: 
 
“It's a sad day when fellow trade unionists take such a one-sided, totally unproductive approach to the Israeli-Palestinian situation.  Instead of calling for disruptive boycotts, we believe that the British trade union movement should be aiding their Israeli and Palestinian counterparts in lending practical solidarity and support for positive co-operation.  All this boycott support will do is divide the two communities further."
 
“We, at TUFI, will continue to work with progressive unions across the world who are endeavoring to work for trade union values with both Israelis and Palestinians”.
 
Ends
 
For further information:
 
Contact Steve Scott 07768 693 943

http://www.tufi.org.uk/