The Union of Local Authorities yesterday decided to step up a week-old strike by local council workers over unpaid wages by declaring that it will turn off street lights tonight in all cities and towns, except those over the Green Line and those along the border fence. As of tomorrow, clerks who are members of the Histadrut Clerks Union, including those in the country’s three largest cities – Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa – will join the strike. Due to security concerns, however, trash will be collected in Jerusalem despite the strike. The „Forum of 15,” comprising leaders of Israel’s 15-largest cities, decided in a meeting last night that it will not join the strike at this time.
The forum decided „to give an an extension of 48 hours to the efforts of Minister in the Finance Ministry Meir Sheetrit to find a solution to the municipalities’ economic troubles and the destructive budget cut to education and welfare.” The head of the forum, Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai, is abroad on a fund-raising drive, so it decided to wait until he returns Wednesday before reviewing their decision. The forum also said that depending on progress made in talks with Sheetrit, the cities would decide whether or not to join the strike. Last week, the cities expressed solidarity with striking municipalities but did not join the strike. Earlier yesterday, the ULA rejected a cabinet decision for a NIS 400 million increase to the budget-balancing Interior Ministry grants. Some 120 local council heads met in Jerusalem yesterday and unanimously rejected the offer. Following yesterday’s cabinet decision, Sheetrit met with ULA leaders yesterday to discuss the strike. A participant at the meeting said, „Sheetrit said that he had the government’s authority to increase the grants from NIS 400 million to NIS 600 million.” The officials, however, refused the proposal, even though it was 50 percent higher than the offer made just hours early by the cabinet. The cabinet also approved a proposal thrashed out by Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Interior Minister Avraham Poraz that would solve the financial crisis faced by the local authorities. BPI.
