Partial transit strike on first day of school
The drivers of Superbus and Egged Ta'avura to launch a strike Sunday, the first day of the school year, in protest of the government's failure to raise their salary, and the discrimination and poor conditions in public bus transportation companies.The companies' bus lines will not operate in Netanya, Afula, Tiberias, and several bus lines in Jerusalem will not be unavailable.
On Sunday, the first day of the school year, Superbus and Egged Ta'avura bus drivers intend to launch a strike, as part of their protest against the government's failure to raise their salary.The companies' bus lines will not operate in Netanya, Afula, Beit Shemesh, Tiberias, Beit She'an, Migdal HaEmek, Gush Etzio, and several bus lines in Jerusalem will be unavailable to the public.
Drivers from the Union of Transportation Drivers said that the strike would take place. the first day of the school year between 4:00am and 4:00pm. Superbus and Egged Ta'avura's strike is part of their protest against the Ministry of Finance's failure to meet the terms of the agreement signed between the parties.
According to the deal, the drivers' wages was supposed to rise to NIS 43 an hour in the begining of August. However, the driver claim the Ministry of Finance did not transfer the additional funds required.
The chairman of the Superbus workers' union, Haroun Shubash, said: "The state unequivocally says that public transportation employees in the private secrotr are worth less than Egged bus drivers. About two months ago, the state agreed to fund a wage increase for Egged bus drivers alone."
“This is in complete disregard to the fact that more than half of bus drivers in Israel are employed by private companies. We fought for similar conditions and now, once again, the state turned on us,” he added.
“There is already a deficit of 3,500 drivers in the industry; it is already collapsing. What hope does the state give to drivers? Who will come to work under these conditions? This will harm passengers in the periphery," he continued.
“The government also disregards drivers' seniority. A driver with a seniority of 20 years and a driver with seniority of one year are equivalent. What kind of future do the bus drivers have? Our demands are the bread and butter of this work,” Mishal continued.
"They always talk about the importance of public transportation, and at the same time the state insists on disregarding the bus drivers. We are fighting for the security of drivers who are exposed to danger on a weekly basis and the state ignores us," Mishal concluded.
Maya Peretz, head of the Transportation Workers section at Power to the Workers labor union added: "there are not enough drivers to carry the heavy workloads, and as far as work conditions are concerned, there is no reason for a bus driver in Afula to make less than a driver in Tel Aviv."
"In light of recent threats of a strike, a petition was filed to the court to requesting an injunction," Egged Ta'avura said a statement.
