Ofer Eini to workers: Join protest so we can bring change

Histadrut chairman tells Channel 2 that workers should take part in central social justice rally in Tel Aviv to make sure it has a powerful impact.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, BEN HARTMAN
hisdadrut 311 (photo credit: Courtesy)
hisdadrut 311
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Histadrut chairman Ofer Eini on Friday called on all workers to make their voices heard and join the central social justice march, which is set to take place on Saturday in Tel Aviv.
During an interview with Channel 2 news Eini said "I call on the workers tomorrow to join the protest and make sure it has a powerful impact so that we can succeed in making a change in this country."
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Eini said that the Histadrut leadership "represents 800,000 families from every echelon of society. If all these people come tomorrow in an organized fashion and join the protest, things will happen, and that's what I'm trying to initiate."
"The main thing that needs to happen is that everyone must be united," Eini said. "The common denominator of this protest is that it is justified and everyone feels the same."
"Do not forget the disadvantaged, the disabled and pensioners," the Histadrut chairman reiterated.
Furious over what they call repeated government rejection of their demands, protesters hope to hold “the mother of all demonstrations” across Israel on Saturday – a week after an estimated 150,000 Israelis took to the streets in several cities to protest the soaring cost of living.
Roee Neuman, spokesman for the tent-city protest movement, told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday evening that the size and intensity of Saturday night’s protests will be greatly influenced by the Knesset’s approval on Wednesday of the national housing committees law – a central sticking point for the movement.
“For us, the passing of the law will be a huge influence on the demonstration, and is one of the main reasons that we called for it,” said Neuman.
“The vote on the law was an opportunity for the government to show how important the people are to them, and they said no. So it is our right and our responsibility to protest this.”
When asked if the protests will have a more aggressive and angry tone following the law’s approval, he replied, “that's for sure. There is much more anger now. At first, we were angry about a moderate situation, and now they’ve shown us that they aren’t going to let it be solved.”
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