Israel Radio staff goes to court against dismissals

Employees protesting dismissal of all Israel Broadcasting Authority staff as soon as IBA is fully dismantled.

By GREER FAY CASHMAN
IBA logo (photo credit: COURTESY OF IBA)
IBA logo
(photo credit: COURTESY OF IBA)
Dozens of Israel Radio employees have filed an urgent petition with the High Court of Justice against certain aspects of the public broadcasting law that the Knesset approved on July 29.
The employees are protesting the dismissal of all Israel Broadcasting Authority staff as soon as the IBA is fully dismantled.
They are also angry that no provision has been made for their absorption into the new public broadcasting service, whereas at least 25 percent of the employees in the new enterprise will come from the ranks of IBA’s television employees.
The issue of the Israel Radio employees was raised many times during the discussions by the special Knesset committee appointed by Communications Minister Gilad Erdan, but Erdan kept saying that there was no legal way for them to be integrated into the new framework.
The 71 signatories to the petition said this is the first time that the state has reneging on workers’ collective agreements and breaking up unions through the enactment of legislation, which the appellants claim runs contrary to labor laws.
They said the legislation causes grievous harm to veteran employees who will not be adequately compensated and who are unlikely to find work elsewhere.
While the liquidator is forbidden under the terms of the new legislation from dismissing any of the employees, other than in exceptional circumstances, while the IBA is still in the process of being dismantled, the employees want the court to issue an interim order that will prevent the liquidator from taking any action that will affect the terms of employment of IBA employees.
The employees also said that the threat of dismissal hanging over their heads deprives them of their human dignity.