The Egged Taavura Company has announced it is launching an open-ended strike beginning on Sunday, 15 Elul. This is not to be confused with ‘Egged’ that runs lines in cities around Israel. Union leaders explain they have hit a stone wall regarding their battle for employee rights and passenger security and therefore they feel the need to launch the strike.

Urban lines that will be affected by the strike include Ashdod, Netanya, Jerusalem corridor communities, Kiryat Gat, Kiryat Malachi, Sderot and others.

Union official Itzik Kashkash released a message to the media apologizing to the public for the anguish the strike will cause but he insists there is no alternative at this point.

The company employs 850 drivers. Egged owns 50% of the company and the Taavura Group own the other 50%.

Following is list of the company’s lines:

· Netanya region (all inner city lines)

· Elad region (all inner city lines)

· Jerusalem line

· Bnei Brak line

· Tel Aviv line

· Petach Tikvah line

· Kassem Jct. and Petach Tikvah line

Jerusalem corridor lines

· Mevassert Tzion (inner city lines and to the capital)

· Givat Ze’ev (inner city lines and to the capital)

· Maale Adumim (inner city lines and to the capital)

· Binyamin Regional Council (inner city lines and to the capital)

· Shomron Regional Council (inner city lines and to the capital)

· Modi’in to Binyamin Regional Council communities

Shapirim district

· The 100, 101 and 102 express service to Yerushalayim

Eshkol/Ashdod district

· All inner city lines

Eshkol, Ashkelon & N. Negev districts

· All inner city lines

· Ashkelon

· Sderot

· Netivot

· Ofakim

· Kiryat Gat

· Kiryat Malachi

· Eshkol Regional Council regional line

· Shar HaNegev Regional Council

Intracity lines

· Ashkelon-Beersheva

· Ashkelon-Kiryat Gat

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)