Histadrut labor federation chief Ofer Eini criticized on Monday MK Eitan
Cabel’s comments about Eini’s tenure as the election for the
chairmanship kicked into high gear.
Earlier Monday, Cabel slammed Eini calling him a failed leader and listing off reasons why he must be replaced by a new leader.
Cabel
said that if there is not a substantive change to the Histadrut, “in
another 20 years there will be no organized labor movement in Israel.”
He also accused Eini of being complicit in the government’s goal of
draining the labor movement of its vitality.
Cabel added that
Eini acts like the Histadrut is the mafia and that he had instigated a
“reign of fear and terror” in his running of the Histadrut and in
threatening Cabel's supporters. Moreover, Eini promoted relatives and
friends like his wife and his brother to senior positions within the
organization, according to Cabel.
More workers have lapsed into
poverty because the power of the Histadrut under Eini has eroded and the
organization has degenerated, said Cabel.
In response, Eini’s
campaign came out swinging, stating that the Histadrut under Eini is the
strongest organization in Israel with a socio-economic focus and that
their claim is proven by the hundreds of thousands of new members that
joined during Eini’s term.
Eini added that Cabel’s entire
experience on labor issues consisted of presiding over the Labor party
during a time when the collective bargaining agreement was canceled. He
further criticized Cabel noting that Cabel never initiated a single law
or initiative to improve the lives of workers.
In light of that
record, Eini found it surprising that Cabel was “daring to preach,
denigrate, slander and insult” him over his accomplishments as
Histadrut leader.