TEL AVIV (Sputnik) – Israeli port workers started a strike over the government’s decision on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the state-run Israel Ports company signed contracts with China’s Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) and the Netherlands’ Terminal Investment Limited (TIL). The Chinese company will operate a port in Haifa, while TIL will run a port close to Ashdod.
Ashdod and Haifa dockworkers announce wildcat strike http://t.co/HsLHPdgEDs pic.twitter.com/EEzt7c4swu
— JerusalemOnline (@JOL_NEWS) May 27, 2015
The port workers ended their strike after the signing ceremony, attended by Israel’s Minister of Transport Yisrael Katz, the Dutch and Chinese ambassadors to Israel, as well as senior executives from the three companies.
Katz said that the construction of the new ports next to the already functioning state-run ones will "lead to the lowering of the cost of living" and "promote competition."
Israeli dockworkers claim, in turn, that the new foreign-run ports will hurt their livelihood, accusing the transport minister and the Israeli government of violating their rights and refusing to negotiate with them.
The two-day strike that was attended by almost 2,500 port workers on Wednesday and Thursday, despite the Labor Court’s orders to the employees to return to work, led to delays in the unloading of over 10 ships at the Haifa Port and more than 20 at the Ashdod Port.
About 98 percent of Israel’s imports and exports pass through the two major ports, along with the country’s Red Sea Port of Eilat.
