Israelis at 12 legations abroad go on strike

Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nachshon said the ministry appreciates the services provided by AMI workers.

By HERB KEINON
Independence Day ceremony at the Israeli Embassy in Amman (photo credit: SOCIAL MEDIA)
Independence Day ceremony at the Israeli Embassy in Amman
(photo credit: SOCIAL MEDIA)
Some 350 Israelis working abroad at 12 consulates and embassies went on strike Monday to protest against their work conditions.
The workers, known by the Hebrew acronym AMI, are among some 1,200 Israelis living abroad – often the spouses of Foreign Ministry or Defense Ministry workers – who are hired temporarily to carry out specific functions in Israel’s official offices overseas. Their jobs range from drivers, to clerical workers, to press officers.
The consulates and embassies affected by the strike are in Amman, Berlin, Madrid, New York, Atlanta, Boston, Houston, Ottawa, Los Angeles, Washington, Miami and San Francisco.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nachshon said the ministry appreciates the services provided by AMI workers. He said that their work conditions are set by the Finance Ministry, and that the Civil Services Commission is undertaking an inquiry into their work conditions.
From time to time, Nachshon said, AMI workers take protest actions that do not square with the legally recognized manner of declaring and dealing with work disputes. He said their protests have been passed along to the relevant bodies dealing with their employment, namely the treasury and the Civil Services Commission.