Foreign Minister Cohen: "I will not give my hand to any law that would harm the workers and their rights."

In an extraordinary address to the Histadrut leadership, Foreign Minister conveyed his support for organized labor

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen addressed this morning (Tuesday) at a special meeting of the Histadrut leadership. Cohen thanked Histadrut Chairman Arnon Bar-David for his activities on behalf of the workers in Israel and referred to the importance of the Histadrut as a significant factor in the economy. The Foreign Minister made it clear in his speech that he opposes legislation that may harm workers’ rights. “You here at the Histadrut represent the people of Israel. I asked to come here before the budget was determined and to say clearly: I will not give my hand to any law that would harm the workers and their rights. I say this both because it is my worldview and because it is important to me. I will be there at the budget debates, and I say: you have a member in the government.” The minister also noted: “We don’t want a country with huge social gaps: weak workers and strong tycoons. This is not our way!”. The foreign minister elaborated further on the burning issues on his desk and concluded that for him, the chairman of the Histadrut is a “friend and partner in the way” and congratulated him on his “responsible, serious and clear” leadership.

Arnon Bar-David, Chairman of the Histadrut thanked Minister Cohen for participating in the special meeting and said: “The Histadrut operates in the entire political space and represents all sectors. This is the new strength we have built here in recent years: we are a home for everyone. This leads the workers and ultimately the entire economy.“