Airport delays expected due to Airports Authority disputes

Labor disputes in the Israel Airports Authority (IAA) may spell delays for passengers flying in and out of Ben Gurion International Airport later this week. The IAA’s workers committee announced on Tuesday that it will hold a general employees meeting during work hours on Thursday, a move that would see a shortage of workers during peak operation hours.

Airports Authority workers committee chairman Pinchas Idan said that the disruptions were a result of foot-dragging by management in negotiations over the establishment of a central severance fund which will guarantee employees' pensions.

According to Idan, the workers committee and the Histadrut  have repeatedly approached the Airports Authority on the matter over the past two years, but had gained no traction and that the delays by management were jeopardizing employees' pensions.

The Airports Authority said in response that negotiations were underway with the workers committee for an external party to manage the money. “The negotiations are taking place seriously and continuously. The IAA board, headed by Ovadyah Ali, decided three years ago already that the pension funds would not be harmed and cannot be used for any purpose but their original intent. The Airports Authority management will do everything it can to avoid injuring passenger services," read a statement by the IAA.