Jerusalem Municipality workers declare general strike

Talks over conditions of 3,500 workers employed through agencies fail to reach a breakthrough.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, YAAKOV LAPPIN
kikar safra 224 88 aj (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski [file])
kikar safra 224 88 aj
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski [file])
Jerusalem Municipality workers on Monday declared a general strike beginning at midnight after talks over the conditions of 3,500 workers employed through employment agencies failed to reach a breakthrough. Inspectors, transportation workers, garbage collectors and school janitors will be among those to go on strike, while the municipality will not tend to the public. Many of the employees are special needs educators in schools, and the Histadrut Labor Federation said the strike would lead to disruptions on the first day of school Tuesday in the capital. However, the Jerusalem Municipality stressed the new school year would begin as planned. In related news, police officers will temporary fill in for missing school security guards until after the Jewish New Year, Lt.-Cmdr. Meir Ben-Yishai, head of the Israel Police's Security Department, announced on Monday. The start of the 2009 school year has been marked by a shortage in school guards, with an estimated 10 percent of all guard positions unfilled. Ben-Yishai met with security officers and Education Ministry officials in order to assess security at education centers ahead of the start of the school year. Ran Erez, head of the Secondary School Teachers Organization, has threatened to launch a strike if the vacant positions are not filled.