Israel: introduction to industrial relations

Avital Shapira-Shabirow, Director of the International Department of the Israeli trade union Histadrut, answers the questions of Planet Labour about the employee involvement system and the place of trade unions in Israel. Histadrut constitutes the biggest trade union in Israel with around 700,000 members in all sectors.

• How would you describe the employee involvement system in Israel?

Avital Shapira-Shabirow. In Israel, according to the law, every worker has the right to organize (being a member of a trade union). If one third of the employees in a workplace are organized, an employee committee can be established. The setting up of an employee committee means that the management must recognize the union to which the employee committee’s members are affiliated. It’s mandatory for the employer to negotiate with the union in order to attain a collective agreement. The employer has the obligation to negotiate, but not to sign an agreement. It’s necessary to say that the negotiating and signatory power is vested in the union to which the employee committee’s members are affiliated.…