The National Labor Court ordered the Israeli Lifeguard Association (ILA) to delay its planned go-slow until the negotiations between its representatives and those of the National Union of Local Authorities and the Histadrut Labor Federation are exhausted.
The court ordered the sides to try and come to an agreement by August 13. Tuesday's ruling followed a restraining order issued against the impending strike.
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| Israeli Lifeguard Association declares go-slow / David Regev |
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Sanctions announced as part of association's fight for better wages, working conditions; include closing all lifeguard stations at noon |
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The ILA announced Monday its members would be staging a go-slow on all Israeli beaches in protest of the lifeguards' wages and working conditions.
The negotiations are said to focus on four key points:
- The lifeguards are demanding a pay raise for new members of the ILA.
- The lifeguards want to be considered city employees – a condition the National Union of Local Authorities fiercely objects.
- The State wants all new members of the ILA to submit to medical examinations – a stipulation which current members of the ILA are not obligated by.
- The ILA wants the new wage agreement to be renegotiated in 2009, while the National Union of Local Authorities wants it to be an eight-year one.
On Monday, soon after the ILA announced it was about to declare a strike, the National Union of Local Authorities filed for a restraining order against it, while at the same time announced it would be sending municipal inspectors to all the beaches in an attempt to discourage people from going in the water without a professional lifeguard present.
The lifeguards' protest, said a source in the ILA, is mainly attempting to look out for those who joined the association after the year 2000.
The most recent wage agreement between the National Union of Local Authorities and the ILA was signed eight years ago and included an increase of NIS 19 ($5.4) per-hour, for every lifeguard.
Meanwhile, the Meteo-Tech Meteorological Service warned that the Mediterranean Sea will be experiencing potentially dangerous wave conditions; and that swimming will be ill-advised.
Aviad Glickman, David Regev and Zvi Zinger contributed to this report
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