Israeli Strike Continues for 3rd Day
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JERUSALEM — Weary passengers flopped on mattresses at Israel’s international airport Friday, the third day of a nationwide strike that has left produce rotting on ships in port and bank customers scrambling for cash.
With more than 600,000 workers already off the job, the national labor federation threatened to expand the general strike if talks--scheduled to resume late today--do not bring a breakthrough.
The walkout has shut down banks and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and has interrupted telephone, electricity and water service. Trash was piled up Friday in the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and gas stations were down to only a few days’ worth of fuel, Israel Radio reported.
Nursery and elementary school teachers joined the walkout Friday, saying uncollected trash had made schools a health hazard.
The national Histadrut labor union said a few hundred workers had agreed to honor back-to-work orders, but only today--when most businesses and services are closed for the Sabbath.
The strike was prompted in part by a Finance Ministry proposal to roll back a pension pact signed by the previous, Labor government.
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