El-Al ground stewards decided to bypass the company's excess weight charge in a wildcat responding to months` neglect in addressing grievances. In retaliation, the company rooted out the alleged ring-leaders, fired one and suspended the other.
Normally, passengers wishing to enter baggage in excess of a certain weight must make additional payments. Disgruntled workers bypassed this procedure by distributing the baggage among various passengers evenly, so that none of them had excess weight.
Ground stewards acted in this manner as a reaction to the fact that they had been discriminated against in relation to air crew, who received bonuses for last year's performance, and the maintenance staff, who were rewarded with paid holiday weekends. Management has failed to address this issue for months. In addition, a Purim party orchestrated by management and the union had free entrance for all employees except for the ground stewards, who were forced to pay 50 NIS a piece. In protest, most of the latter plan not to attend.
Their action was detected when the high income usually generated from excess weight charges failed to materialize. Management investigated, and based on rumors, brought two workers in for questioning, suspended them both on Tuesday (March 11th) and then fired one today (Thursday March 13th).
The union chairman responded by disavowing any knowledge of the dispute, noting that the ground stewards are employed under a group contract allowing them to be fired arbitrarily, and positing, moreover, that employees shouldn't be taking the law into their own hands.
It must also be noted that other sources claim that the suspended and fired workers deny the allegations, saying that there was no wildcat, and that they were merely singled out for for having refused to attend the Purim party.
Sources (in Hebrew):
Walla News Article
Ynet News Article
Comments
as if Israel could possibly
as if Israel could possibly get any worse!
these guys are being discriminated against for no justifyable reason