Arkia employees fight for company's future, protest against management

The employees demonstrated in several locations, while the largest protest took place near the company chairman's private residence and in front of Arkia's headquarters.

By DANIEL NISINMAN
Arkia employees demonstration in Tel Aviv (photo credit: YOSSI ZELIGER)
Arkia employees demonstration in Tel Aviv
(photo credit: YOSSI ZELIGER)
Hundreds of Arkia employees demonstrated on Wednesday against the company's controlling shareholders, the Nakash brothers.
The employees demonstrated in several locations, while the largest protest took place near the company chairman's private residence and in front of Arkia's headquarters, according to a statement by company employees. 
Since March, the company has grounded its entire aircraft fleet and forced most of its employees to take unpaid leave.  
Unlike other airline companies, the owners are refusing to take a state guaranteed loan for the sum of 130 NIS million, deliberately leading the company to its inevitable closure.
Aliza Blaish, chairman of Arkia's workers committee, said that "for over 70 years now we have been flying Israeli citizens – and now, under the pretext of coronavirus the company owners have decided to terminate its activity. The Nakash brothers are drying the company up on purpose. How is it possible that our competitors are already flying, but we are still grounded?"
According to the employees, this is just the beginning of their struggle to keep the company afloat, since the management continues to ignore their demands.