Tel Aviv labor dispute stinks sky high
Municipal garbage collectors are on partial strike in Tel Aviv until May 1st, when it will turn into a full strike; as the residents of the city drown in garbage, the municipality is fighting an internal power struggle.
Tel Aviv sanitation workers declared a strike on Tuesday due to a labor dispute, and are refusing to collect garbage, just before the Passover holiday and Israelis are busy spring-cleaning.
Tel Avivians are already beginning to notice the garbage piling as the stench takes over the streets. The areas primarily affected are in the center of the city, where many businesses operate. In the northern neighborhoods of the city, however, residents are reporting that the municipality workers are still collecting garbage, pointing to only a partial strike. It must be noted that if the dispute isn't resolved in two weeks - by May 1 - a full-blown strike will be launched.
"I didn't know there's a strike," said Ilana, who lives on Frug street in Tel Aviv. "I wanted to call the municipality because my street was still full of garbage and because someone had pruned branches and left all of the clippings on the sidewalk and in the driveway, and blocked people from passing."
She added that "when I see these garbage piles it really angers me. I'm not surprised that something like this happened right before the holiday. We alone are to blame as we don't do anything, we elect the same people and are left with the same thing. I don't think that they'll take the garbage, its something which won't be decided until the last minute.
Avi from "Flowers on Allenby" has lived in Tel Aviv for 60 years. "They put the garbage in the city before the holiday, when we pay a lot in taxes. If this continues, it will create a huge stench," he complained. "I tried to turn to the municipality with the problem, but there are major slowdowns in service. The garbage is being felt on the street. All of the neighbors are complaining and are throwing their trash in front of the store."
Uriel Shlomi who works at a bakery chain called Ma'afiyat HaTabun across the street from the flower shop clarified that "we don't care about these internal conflicts. Right before the holiday they're making this huge mess. People are going to suffer because there will be a lot more rats. They are doing this right before the holiday, and we're beginning to feel the effects and smell the stench."
Pnina Shem Tov, who works at Habima Theater stated that "in a modern country it doesn't have to be like this – especially before the holiday. I took out a lot of garbage today and I felt bad and gross."
"If there are problems with the worker, they need to fix it with them," she continued. "We shouldn't suffer because we pay our taxes like we're supposed to. It's not healthy and it's uncivilized."
Asaf, who lives on HaChashmal street said that "two days ago our neighbors from the building across from us took out all of the contents of their apartment and threw it all over the street. Homeless people and others immediately began to forage and spread everything all over the street. I called the municipality before they announced that they aren't collecting garbage, but they still haven't come. As a result, four parking spaces are full of furniture and garbage that no one is coming to collect. It's a serious hassle.
In a letter sent to the workers, Menachem Leiba, Tel Aviv Municipality Director General, blames the chairman of the Workers' Union Rami Ben Gal for the current situation.
"In the last several days, a very serious issue has arisen. The Chairman of the Workers' Union is working through illegitimate means and is hurting everything we've built with his unbridled frenzy and his threats to executives and employees."
"And the worst thing," the letter continued, "the thing that causes me the most heartache and embarrassment, is his "tour of intimidation," which the chairman is doing with 10 others in the Kindergartens Department. It's all being done in order to terrify the workers. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. All of this, and for what? Because the Chairman wants to have the exclusive ability to appoint a new director.
The Histadrut Labor Union responded, saying, "We regret the conduct of the municipality, which consciously decided to undermine the system of great relations which it had. The Labor Union in Tel Aviv has been a great example of transparent and honest work for many years. This work conflict was declared legally and lawfully, with the knowledge and authorization of the Chairman of the Histadrut."
