Solidarity from port to port

Ashdod Port to host Eilat Port workers after shutdown caused by Houthi attacks in the Red Sea | Eilat Port to reemploy workers as unemployment benefits expire.

After lengthy negotiations, Eilat Port employees, who have been on unpaid leave since operations were suspended due to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, will begin returning to work this week.

The agreement between the Histadrut and Eilat Port management aims to ease the burden on workers whose unemployment benefits are nearing expiration.

Additionally, as part of a coordinated effort between the Histadrut and the Ashdod Port Workers Committee to show solidarity with Eilat Port workers, an agreement was reached with Ashdod Port management to temporarily employ a group of Eilat workers in Ashdod.

Nir Eisenberg, Director of the Maritime Division in the Histadrut Transportation Union, said:

“The initiative, forged in the spirit of labor solidarity, ensures that workers who have been on unpaid leave due to the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea can continue earning a livelihood. Under the terms of the agreement, the Histadrut will fully cover travel and accommodation costs for the temporarily relocated workers. This move not only provides immediate relief to affected employees but also highlights the strength of cooperation between Israel’s port communities during times of national crisis.”

Why Has Eilat Port Been Closed?

Eilat Port, located at Israel’s southern tip on the Red Sea, is the country’s main entry point for vehicles and goods arriving from Asia. Over the past year, however, activity at the port has been severely disrupted due to attacks by the Houthis, an Iran-backed militia based in Yemen.

Since early 2024, the Houthis have carried out repeated missile and drone strikes against commercial shipping attempting to cross from the Gulf of Aden into the Red Sea.

Because ships traveling to Eilat must pass through the Red Sea—directly through areas targeted by Houthi forces—many international shipping companies have halted their routes to the port. This has left Eilat Port largely idle for months, forcing management to place much of its workforce on unpaid leave.

Workers Returning

The Histadrut has negotiated a series of agreements to rehabilitate Eilat Port operations and ensure continued employment for its workers. As a result, the port will begin reemploying staff who were placed on unpaid leave and whose social security benefits are expiring.

Histadrut Chairman Arnon Bar-David said the agreement to bring workers back is “a first step in a series of measures to rehabilitate the port.”

Attorney Eyal Yadin, Chairman of the Transportation Workers Union, added:

“This is the first of a series of steps intended to help port workers harmed by the war.”
He emphasized that while Eilat Port remains underused, it is a strategic national asset. The Histadrut is advocating for long-term solutions to secure employees’ livelihoods and preserve the port’s role in Israel’s economy.

Moshe Azulai, Chairman of the local Histadrut Division in Eilat, said the agreements demonstrate that “financial security for workers can be preserved when there is a shared will.”

Some information in this article was taken from Davar