“Together, we will make sure that 5783 will be a year blessed with achievements better for workers, retirees, and the State of Israel.”

Friends and members of the Histadrut and citizens of the state of Israel, we are at the beginning of a new year and are all partners in praying for a more successful year. May it be a year that fills everyone’s hearts with hope and illuminates the path of each of you in new opportunities to do good, good for your sake, and good for the sake of others.
We defeated a global pandemic, but the changes COVID19 created cannot be ignored in all areas of life and in the labor market.
One of the changes we have seen in the past year is a vast wave of resignations called the “silent resignation”. More and more workers in Israel and worldwide refuse to return to work in the previous work format. Instead, workers seek to improve compensation and create a healthier balance between work and life.

This trend created a shortage in the workforce in many fields but also ignited a new wave of unionization.
The attempts at incitement that we sometimes see against the workers’ committees largely reflect the fear of corporations and capitalists that the world is changing.
When the Israel Manufacturers Association president claims that workers’ unions harm the economy, he tells you that he prefers weaker workers.

The new year is an excellent opportunity to show those stuck in the past that the labor market is progressing and the Histadrut continues progressing along with it.
This year, too, we proved that the Histadrut is one of the most stable bodies in the economy and the most responsible in the economy.

We continue to strengthen the status of workers, with many collective agreements that we managed to sign, the Histadrut under my leadership will continue to grow and do more in the coming year as well, with more collective agreements, more services for members of the Histadrut, more influence on society and the economy in Israel.

In a few weeks, we will reach the polls again. We hope that, for the fifth time, the elected officials in Israel will succeed in producing a stable government that puts the citizens before politics. In the new reality that will emerge after the elections, we must realize that the main problem threatening Israel’s citizens is the social gaps that deepen inequality. It can’t go on like this anymore. Unfortunately, the voice of the parties from across the political spectrum on the burning economic issues is not heard enough. The current election campaign again emphasizes how much a strong, responsible labor organization like the Histadrut is needed, a workers’ movement that can stand up to the tycoons and determine a red line. I want to assure you that the Histadrut’s last word on the cost of living has not yet been spoken. I recommend that any business considering exploiting the Israelis recalculate its route.

We will not hesitate to act against the government as well. The new government will have to provide solutions to wage erosion and the rise in inflation. This means a new framework agreement for the public sector, already in January 2023, and an immediate increase in the minimum wage. We will not compromise on what the working public and pensioners deserve and will not allow the decision-makers to hide behind the political chaos. There is a country on edge, and the government must keep its promises to the citizens. The Histadrut will continue to act firmly to ensure that this will indeed happen, and if necessary, we will, of course, also take to the streets.
The eve of the holiday is also an excellent time to say thank you, members, of the Histadrut, for the solidarity, the mutual guarantee, the friendship, and the ability to close ranks in the struggles that concern us all. We will ensure that 5783 will be a year blessed with achievements and better for the workers, the pensioners, and the State of Israel.

Happy Holidays to you, a sweet new year, and only good news