Sector‑wide labour dispute in Israel’s aviation industry over unilateral move to establish Wizz air base

Today, the Histadrut has declared a sector-wide labour dispute covering more than 11,000 aviation workers across Israel, following the government’s intention to approve the establishment of a permanent Wizz Air operational base in the country without any consultation with the affected workforce or their elected representatives. The unilateral move undermines job security, destabilises Israel’s aviation sector, and creates an uneven playing field that discriminates against local carriers and workers.

The dispute applies to workers at El Al, Arkia, Israir, and Air Haifa, as well as to all employees of the Israel Airports Authority, which operates Ben Gurion Airport and airports in Ramon, Haifa, Herzliya, and Rosh Pina.

A decision made without professional assessment

The dispute announcement follows an emergency meeting held on 16 February between senior Histadrut officials, transport union leaders, and all aviation workers’ committees. Experts raised serious concerns regarding the potential economic, operational, and national security implications of placing a foreign operator’s base inside Israel. It was noted that the decision appeared to have been made without professional groundwork, despite reservations expressed by senior figures in Israel’s aviation sector and within the Ministry of Transport.

Core issues behind the labour dispute

• Protection of workers’ rights and employment security in light of the proposed Wizz Air base.
• Ensuring the financial stability of Israel’s airlines and the Israel Airports Authority, which may be disadvantaged by the regulatory asymmetry.
• Safeguarding ground‑handling and operational processes at Ben Gurion Airport – areas considered critical for national and aviation security.

Israeli aviation workers have consistently proven their reliability by keeping the skies open and repatriating citizens during periods of crisis, pandemics, and conflict. Any structural shift that excludes these workers from consultation is a breach of trust and a threat to sector stability.

Competition, but not at the expense of national interests

The Histadrut stresses that it supports fair competition and efforts to reduce the cost of living. However, it opposes measures that grant foreign companies preferential conditions and circumvent established labour and security standards.

“In labour relations, unilateral decisions are unacceptable,” said Histadrut Acting Chair of the Histadrut, Roi Yaakov. “Establishing a foreign operator’s base in Israel without a thorough systemic review will harm workers’ job security, the stability of the entire sector, and Israel’s national interests.”

“This is not fair competition,” added Attorney Eyal Yadin, Chair of the Transportation Workers’ Union. “It is a unilateral move that gives unreasonable advantages to a foreign airline at the expense of workers, Israeli carriers, and the public interest.”

Low-cost carriers seek operational footholds in new markets while circumventing local labour protections through atypical employment models or differential regulatory requirements. The Histadrut reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that aviation competition remains fair, transparent, and grounded in respect for workers’ rights and national security considerations.

Future steps will be carried out responsibly and with the clear goal of avoiding harm to the wider public. Nevertheless, the Histadrut is ready to use all tools at its disposal to prevent damage to workers’ rights and to maintain the resilience of Israel’s aviation sector.