Press Release by International Labor Delegation to
Israel/Palestine,
April 25 - May 1, 2004
Amsterdam, May 3, 2004
European trade unionists shocked by labor situation of
Palestinians in Israel
A GROUP of 14 trade unionists
from seven European countries visited the region last week in order to
investigate the labor situation of the Palestinians, both those in Israel
and those from the Occupied Territories. Their visit was initiated and
organized by the Workers Advice Centre (WAC) - Ma’an. The
delegates spoke with researchers at Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew
University in Jerusalem. They also met with representatives of the Finance
Ministry and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor. NGO’s Kav La'Oved,
the Hotline for Migrant Workers and Adva Research Centre presented their
views. The delegates met with a representative from the Histadrut and, in
Ramallah, with a delegation of the Palestine General Federation of Trade
Unions. In Nazareth, Um al-Fahem and Kufr Qara, the group conversed with
Arab Israelis who have returned to organized work through WAC's activity.
It also met WAC members and migrant laborers who work together at a
construction site near Tel Aviv, as well as Palestinian workers, organized
by WAC, from the refugee camp of Shu'afat.
On the First of May, at a public meeting organized by
WAC in Haifa, a spokesperson of the European trade unionists declared that
the group was shocked by the grave and humiliating situation confronting
Palestinian and migrant workers. Palestinians in the Occupied Territories
suffer from closures imposed by Israel, which have driven unemployment up
to an official rate of 40% (the unofficial rate is much higher). As for
Arab workers in Israel, the delegation found that they are victims of
direct and indirect discrimination. The confiscation of their land
reserves, the lack of occupational training, competition from contracted
foreign migrant workers and overt discrimination have weakened their
situation in the labor market.
Foreign migrant workers are exploited by personnel
("manpower") agencies and bound to a specific employer. This kind of
shackling makes the workers completely dependent on the arbitrariness of
the employer. Their dependence is increased by the premium they have to
pay to the personnel agencies, and sometimes also to governmental
institutions in their countries of origin. Brought to Israel in the
1990's, and now amounting to more than 10% of the labor force, the
migrants have been used by Israeli employers to destroy the system of
collective labor agreements. By creating a cheap reservoir of workers, the
employers attempt to pit the migrants against the Palestinians who have
lost their jobs. These inequities represent a clear violation of ILO and
UN treaties on migrant labor, treaties ratified by Israel.
The European delegates will raise these issues in their
unions. They will also bring their findings before international labor
organizations such as the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
(ICFTU), the World Confederation of Labor (WCL), the ILO and the United
Nations.
The following organizations took part in the
delegation: CC.OO. and CIG from Spain; COBAS from
Italy; from Belgium, ACV-CSC's construction branch and the
International Solidarity Fund of the WCL; SiD from Denmark;
FNV Bondgenoten from the Netherlands; GBI from
Switzerland; from Germany, IG Metall’s Berlin branch and TIE
(Transnational Information Exchange), an NGO.
The delegation will be
finalizing a comprehensive report within two weeks. For a copy of the
document, as well as the full program of the delegation, please contact
WAC spokesperson Michal Freedman: 972-57- 7292808 or
wacjaffa@netvision.net.il
For related articles, please visit WAC's
web page: WAC Home