Chairman of the Histadrut Labor Federation Ofer Eini on Tuesday announced he is stepping down after eight years on the job. His resignation will become effective as of February 1, 2014.
Eini said he feels he has taken the job as far as he could and now wishes to set out on a new path. "During my eight years in office the Histadrut reached new heights as far as its influence on the Israeli economy and society as well as on workers and pensioners."
He further added, "During my term the Histadrut led historic changes in Israeli labor relations including mandatory pensions for all workers, agreements for contract workers, raising the minimum wage, and my own personal proudest achievement - the forming of Histadrut-based worker unions in hundreds of new work places."
Eini is set to name Avi Nissankorn, chairman of labor unions department, as his choice of successor, in line with the Histadrut's Constitution.
The Histadrut said that Nissankorn, who has acted as the primary Histadrut negotiator, has been successful at his current capacity as and is liked and respected among the unions and workers.
Finance Minister Yair Lapid said in response, "I have a feeling that many good things will happen to Ofer Eini in this country. The Histasrut has been around for many years, there have been many chairmen and Eini told me – I was around for eight years, I've had enough."
Labor Party and Opposition Chairwoman Shelly Yachimovich said that Eini's years in office were important and came after a long period in which workers were weakened.
"Against powerful forces, the status of many workers has strengthened," she noted.
Meretz Chairwoman Knesset Member Zahava Gal-On took a decidedly critical tone and said: "Eini turned the Histadrut from an organization aimed at protecting workers and their rights to a group with a business and self-serving agenda that is busy with favoritism and intrigues."
"His resignation is an opportunity to bring the Histradrut back to its original role – protecting the rights of all the country's workers, and not just the few who belong to powerful unions," Gal-On added.
Eini is leaving the Labor Federation at turbulent times after several Israeli companies announced large-scale lay-offs. He recently reached an agreement with Teva's former CEO Jeremy Levin that lay-offs would be suspended pending the conclusion of negotiations with the Histadrut.
Attila Somfalvi contributed to this report