Freedom of Association victory in Israel
11 January 2013
Israel's trade union centre Histradrut has informed PSI that the country's National Labour Court has declared that no employer can intervene or express their opinion on internal organisation of employees.
The ruling emerged from the Pelephone case, when management intimidated workers and tried to prevent them from organising. The Court ruled that the company shall not:
- track employees through managing lists of union members, or otherwise
- present its position regarding organsing of employees
- present its perceived disadvantages to organising to employees
- track employees exercising their right to organising
The Court instructed that the company must not initiate personal meetings with employees regarding exercising the right of association, nor spread any messages against organising by other means of communication.
Chairman of the Histadrut Trade Union Division Avi Nissenkorn said the court has reconfirmed that "the decision whether to join an employees' organisation and form an employees' committee is in the hands of employees, and only in the hands of employees, without any need on their part to consider the wishes or opinion of who employs them."
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