From Challenge # 72 (March-April 2002)  Back to the Building Sites!  Assaf Adiv ON FEBRUARY 18, WAC organized a day of interviews between Solel Boneh, Israel's largest building contractor, and unemployed Arabs from Galilee. Dozens were waiting in our office when two company officials arrived: Sharga Katz, who is responsible for finding local workers, and Avi Segal, a supervisor in the Haifa region. The two described the work and answered questions. The terms, they explained, would be those of the collective agreements in the construction industry, which set the monthly wage at 7000 shekels (about $1700). They then interviewed each candidate.  These interviews were the outcome of a continuing campaign on WAC's part to get the construction companies to re-hire local workers, especially Arabs. If Solel Boneh goes ahead as promised, this will signify an important change in the labor market.  Recently, the government decided to limit further permits for foreign workers. (See main article.) In opposing this decision, the contractors argue that local people aren't willing to work in construction. WAC has taken up this challenge, testing how serious the companies are about seeking local labor, including Arabs. In the case of Solel Boneh, the company has indeed proved serious enough to come to our office and conduct interviews. This has been a pleasant surprise to the workers. Many had almost lost hope after years of being shunted aside.  Taher Hana, a 36-year-old construction worker, has had difficulty finding work in recent years. "I didn't believe that they would really come," he said. "If they give us jobs in Solel Boneh, that will be a major step forward in my life."  Talal Shahavan, 34, reports that in searching for work, he reached a stage where he could see no point in trying the Employment Bureau. "It sends us to places where they just want to register us as job refusers. With WAC it's been different. Last year it helped me to get work with Arenson, and now it's opened the door again, this time to Solel Boneh."