Court Curtails Ben Gurion Airport Strike

Aug. 30--The strike at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport has been substantially reduced in scope. The Labor Court has allowed the Airports Authority workers committee to hold a strike at the airport between 10:00 and 12:00 today as a demonstration of solidarity with the struggle of the Broadcasting Authority workers threatened with layoffs, but while it allowed office staff to strike for two full hours, the strike of shift workers such as baggage handlers was restricted to just half an hour in order to reduce the impact on travelers.

This means that there will be a full strike only between 11:30 and 12:00 this morning, considerably reducing the number of flights that will be delayed. About 70,000 passengers are expected to pass through Ben Gurion Airport today.

Meanwhile, Ministry of the Interior border control workers have decided not to return to work today and to act in accordance with the Labor Court decision. The border control workers are striking between 9:00 and 11:00 this morning, thereby disrupting both incoming and outgoing flights.

"The every fact that the court did not issue an injunction against the strike speaks for itself. I hope that the message will get through to the people it needs to reach, in order to prevent the layoff of 1,500 Broadcasting Authority employees," committee chairman Pinhas Idan said.

The Knesset is due to hold a decisive session on the future of public broadcasting in Israel, and the Histadrut (General Federation of Labor in Israel) plans various disruptions to public services.