Tel Aviv District Labor Court Judge Tomer Silvara published his decision that he rejects the request of Israel Fire & Rescue Service Commissioner Dedi Simchi to end firefighters’ sanctions that have been going on for several weeks to protest a gross violation of their terms of employment, including a collective labor agreement.

This decision came against the background of Simchi’s testimony before the court, for the first time in a year and a half of a labor dispute in the service between labor and management and the workers’ committee. In his ruling, Justice Silvara noted that “the right to strike is a fundamental right that has been recognized as a right of status over laws derived from freedom of association and constitutes a tool for balancing the gaps between the parties and collective labor relations. This is the main reason we have begun to preserve our decision to allow firefighters to take organizational steps.”

The court rejected the commissioner’s claim that canceling training or “cutting off contact” by the firefighters endangered life, in light of the Histadrut National Labor Federation’s support for the firefighters’ battle and their declaration that no decision would be made.

The court called on the commissioner of the Israel Fire & Rescue Service, as well as the director-general and the Public Security Ministry, to intervene in the protracted dispute in the commission in order to help the sides reach understandings about the work agreements in the commission.

“It is inconceivable that the firefighting system be managed by means of repeated orders and appeals to the Labor Court, and the parties must enter into intensive negotiations, whether through direct negotiations or through mediation and reaching understandings,” the court concluded.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)