Ben-Gurion Airport delays stretch into third day as strike effects continue
IAA workers’ union chairman Pinchas Idan rejected allegations of responsibility during an interview with KAN, instead blaming the airport manager for the chaos.
Ben-Gurion Airport grapples with flight delays extending into their third day following a strike by Israel Airports Authority (IAA) workers. Union chairman Pinchas Idan rejects claims of responsibility and cites a labor shortage, demanding over 500 additional employees. Some luggage handlers are working 12-hour shifts amid a heatwave, while others are serving in the IDF reserve.
Contradicting Idan's claims, Walla reports an increase in luggage handlers over the past six years, despite a decrease in passenger numbers. The union did not request more workers in 2019, a record year for passenger traffic, a claim the union disputes. Motivation among airport workers has declined due to a shift from temporary to permanent staff, according to another source.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has moved to strip Idan of his Likud Party membership, accusing the airport strike of being a "political and illegal shutdown" targeting the Likud party, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and Transportation Minister Miri Regev.
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