Labor Chairman Amir Peretz
Photo: Yaron Brenner
Labor: Significant disagreements with Kadima
Labor negotiators brief party members on progress in coalition talks, disagreements with Kadima on social legislation, diplomatic affairs; Labor officials say Kadima not working seriously to raise minimum wage
The Labor faction convened at party headquarters Sunday in order to be briefed on the progress in coalition talks with Kadima and was told by top negotiator David Libai that significant disagreements on socioeconomic issues remain.
The ongoing dispute between the two parties revolves around a raise to the minimum wage rate, a legislation that would limit manpower agencies, and government-subsidized medicine. Labor officials said Kadima is not working seriously to raise the minimum wage.
Later Sunday, negotiators for both parties are scheduled to meet again in an attempt to reach a breakthrough. A senior Labor party member said at the end of the meeting: "It's going in the direction of a crisis as early as this week. We'll have a mini-crisis. Not when it comes to portfolios, but rather, on the economic front."
"The negotiations have not yet exacted their true price, and a mini-crisis is expected to happen in any case," he said.
Meanwhile, disagreements persist on the diplomatic front too, with Labor insisting that the government basic lines include a commitment to removing unauthorized West Bank outposts and that an evacuation-compensation bill be put on the government's agenda. Labor also wants a declaration making it clear that Arab Israelis would not be offered to move to the Palestinian Authority under the framework of any diplomatic move.
"It's not over 'till it's over," a Labor party member said at the end of the meeting, referring to the formation of a new government.
Party Chairman Peretz briefed faction members on the portfolios to be received by Labor, and noted that only the Defense, Education, and Agriculture portfolios are certain, while the others will be determined later. Libai told those in attendance that Labor initially demanded eight portfolios, but settled for seven.
