The Tiara Family, Kufr Qara

[Yediot Aharonot held a special item of a page for every echelon in the Israeli society (1-10). Waffa and Nur Tiara of WAC appeared at the fourth echelon with a one page spread. Here is what they say]:

Nur Aldin (43) agriculture worker; Waffa (34) WAC coordinator of placement of agriculture workers in the triangle area; Muhamad (15) ninth grade; Wasim (14) eight grade; Aslam (6.5) First grade; Kareem (4.5) compulsory nursery school.

Just three years ago, after her husband was fired from his job for he suffered from a protruded disc after working as a molder for many years, Waffa understood she had no choice. At the age of 31, with four children, she went out to work for the first time in her life. "Things at home were tough", she says. "We didn't have money for the most basic things, for every day living. We couldn't buy new clothing, candy or even food". Nur had to travel often to Tel Aviv, where he had medical examinations before the surgery he had to go through. "We didn't even have money for the rides. Our Parents and siblings helped us all the time, but we weren't comfortable with it", says Nur. "It's never good to be dependent on other people".

Waffa, born in Kufr Qara, graduated high school with a matriculation certificate, but did not continue her studies. "I married and had children early" she says. To go out to work as an agriculture laborer in the Arab sector is considered a humiliating default. "Women would rather say that they don't work than to tell others they work as agriculture laborers", she explains. When she first went out to work, she understood why: "I was shocked to discover that the salary for an average working day of 8 hours is 85 NIS. Without a pay slip, without social benefits, without sick leave, and without being treated as a human being. The contractor was 'doing us a favor' by providing us with a job. The Jewish employer paid what he had to, which is minimum wage, but the entire difference went to the contractor's pocket".

Her first job was in a "Moshav" (An agricultural settlement within Israel) in the area, in thinning out peaches: "You get up before 4 AM, wake the baby up, who was one year old, and breast feed him. There wasn't money to buy milk powder. Then you work in the freezing cold or in extreme heat for half the minimum wage, without any rights." Waffa tried to unionize her colleagues, but they refused to cooperate. "Ahsan min balash", they told her, (better than nothing).

The people of WAC, Workers Advice Center, were in touch with Nur and provided him with legal advice in his struggle to receive compensations. They contacted Waffa and offered her to organize a group of women that will work in agriculture on through them in a nearby Kibbutz. "I thought they were joking. Suddenly the wages increased to 144 NIS a day, I was treated with respect, I was given a cold bottle of mineral water to drink at work, and I was supplied with protective gloves and a mask. I was taken care of. This was the first time I received a pay slip with all the benefits, I became legal. And the more they gave us, the more we wanted to give from ourselves. WAC values our work, encouraged us and most important: they didn't make us feel as if we were exploited".

Waffa was asked to organize another group of women workers, and this got her into a confrontation with the contractor. "He came to our house", Nur recalls, "and asked my wife not to make a fuss about earning more money. He said we owe him, since he gave us work in the past, and now my wife is taking workers from him. Today, he hardly says hello to us, he ignores us".

In the Arab sector it is not customary for a woman to lead such a struggle. Didn't you feel the price was too high?

Nur: "At first I used to tell her to stop. But today I'm proud of her. Thanks to her many women have gone out to work, thanks to her there are women who now earn twice than what they used to with the contractor, and they manage to feed their children".

After a year as unemployed , Nur has gone back to work "My medical condition was bad", he remembers. "But I had no choice and I started working with Waffa. There is always the fear to lose our jobs to contractor's employees, who are cheaper, or to Thai workers, who are always available. I wake up at 3:00 AM to hard work; I'm in charge of a group of women workers, and get back home exhausted. The thing I miss the most is spending time with my children. I must go to bed early, and the rest of the time I'm either tired or sleeping".

Waffa progressed rapidly, and today she earns 3,500 NIS at WAC in her job as coordinating the placement of women laborers. "It's a unified wage for all WAC workers, and it will not get any higher", she says. "It is a matter of assistance and contribution to people that as it is hardly make a living, and ideologically there's a matter of keeping the salary close to what the workers themselves earn".

Family Report

Food: we shop at the supermarket and in the village market. Waffa usually does the shopping, sometimes Nur, "although he doesn't like doing it". How much do they spend? "Between 2,500 and 3,000 NIS a month".

Clothing: Nur: hardly ever buys clothes, has been wearing the same clothes for many years. Waffa: shops in the village, sometimes in "Alonit" when there's a special occasion. For the children: "they like "Fox", so we buy in Gan Shmuel and in "Kids"".

Vehicle: Subaru Legacy, 1990.

Classes and courses: only Wasim takes a Math course in school – 500 NIS for 40 hours. Waffa: "I wish I had more to give. Education is the most important thing, but it costs money".

Fun and Leisure: they go out to restaurants with the wider circles of the family on special occasions. A year ago Waffa went to the theatre in Haifa to see a show with her friends from WAC. A few months ago they went to Tel Aviv's Cinematheque to watch a movie about illegal laborers, "six floors to hell". Waffa: "a powerful and amazing film".

Trips abroad: they've never been. Nur: "I don't even have a passport". Waffa: "if I could? I would choose to go to Paris".

Family holidays: Never. On vacations they go on day trips with the kids, and two years ago Waffa and Nur spent one night in a hotel in Tiberias.

"The most Israeli": Waffa: "to say no to exploitation, not being afraid to stand for your rights".