Histadrut national labor federation leader Avi Nissankoren has announced his deadline for an agreement to be reached with Egged regarding government subsidies. He announced on Monday 24 Shevat that if an agreement is not reached by March 21st (23 Adar), “all Egged lines nationwide will be halted”.

The threatened strike surrounds the fact that the subsidy agreement between Egged and the Government of Israel that was signed in 2005, expired in 2016. The government has since been skirting the issue, signaling it is trying to avoid continue a subsidy arrangement with Egged. The bus company has held a number of limited strikes since 2016, claiming it cannot continue under the current arrangement, without receiving subsidy funds for many non-profitable lines from the government.

Nissankoren added “The Ministries of Transportation and Finance foot-dragging regarding implementation of the new agreement” is the reason for the threatened strike.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)