Post offices around Israel were closed on Tuesday 14 Elul as the Postal Authority began implementing work sanctions. At the heart of the dispute is the planned firing of 1,500 employees, many to be replaced by manpower agency workers to avoid giving tenure to the veteran workers.

Senior Postal Authority official Ariel Yaakobi explains that he has already agreed to many demands from the treasury, including the firing of 1,250 workers, extended postal hours until 20:00, and showing flexibility regarding assignments for workers; to permit them to move from branch to branch as needed. He added that the authority is willing to have its workers deliver mail at 20:00 if that is what is required, but he cannot permit the firing of 1,500 additional employees.

From the treasury’s point of view, the postal service is bleeding, losing more money with each passing year as is the case for many postal agencies around the world. The state insists the authority must accept the recovery program including the firings for it cannot remain viable with 90% of its employees receiving civil service status with all the accompanying perks. State officials explain the postal service is simply a monetary drain and drastic measures are required towards fiscal recovery and stability.

Making things worse is that other civil service employees may be joining in to show solidarity with the postal workers. Which workers will be joining the strike is yet to be announced. Yaakobi insists that an employee working six or seven years cannot be dismissed to hire a temporary manpower agency employee. He feels this is unacceptable and a red line that cannot be crossed.

Yaakobi insists he has and remains willing to cut staff and overhead, modernize, become more efficient and do what is necessary to recover from the current situation but he will not agree to the firing of 1,500 workers in addition to the 1,250. He is confident that if the treasury lets the postal service do it the way it has explained, the organization will be fiscally viable in five years and bringing in an annual profit of 200 million shekels. For now, treasury officials are not buying the plan.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)