Histadrut, Ashdod Marine Transport Company Management and Workers' Representatives Sign New Collective Agreement
The Histadrut, the management of Ashdod Marine Transport Company and the workers' representatives have signed a new collective agreement, which includes significant wage increases and regulation of work procedures. The agreement is intended to enable the company to prepare for the arrival of giant ships and the expansion of its operations, in a move defined as of strategic importance to the Israeli economy and to strengthening Israel's status as a maritime trading nation.
The Histadrut, the management of Ashdod Marine Transport Company and the workers' representatives signed today (Monday) a new collective agreement. The agreement includes significant wage increases for the workers and regulation of work procedures, designed to enable the company to prepare for the arrival of the new giant ships and the expansion of its operations. The move is defined as of strategic importance to the Israeli economy and to strengthening Israel's status as a maritime trading nation. Participating in the negotiations on behalf of the Histadrut were the chairman of the Transportation Workers' Union, Adv. Eyal Yadin, and the deputy chairman of the union, Adv. Nir Eisenberg; on behalf of the Israel Port Authority, the CEO Pinchas (Pino) Tsruya; and on behalf of Ashdod Marine Transport, CEO Avichai Hatuka, the port's harbor master Morris Moore, the chairman of the pilots' committee, harbor master Dima Agrant, and harbor master Lev Zakharov. Eisenberg said that the agreement allows the company to adapt itself to the new reality, to absorb giant ships and to continue developing while preserving workers' rights. Agrant emphasized the importance of the professional and operational adjustments required for absorbing the giant ships. Hatuka called the agreement a significant milestone for the company.