Histadrut Warns Against Sale of Arkia: 'Preventing Desecration of Shabbat Is Not a Business Strategy'
Deputy Chairman of the Histadrut's Transportation Workers Union, Attorney Nir Eisenberg, sent a letter to Arkia's controlling shareholders following reports of a potential sale to an investor who intends to halt flights on Shabbat. Eisenberg warns that reducing operations would harm the business model, revenues, and job security of hundreds of employees, and threatens organizational and legal measures.
Deputy Chairman of the Histadrut's Transportation Workers Union, Attorney Nir Eisenberg, sent a letter today (Thursday) to Arkia's controlling shareholders, the Nakash family, following reports of negotiations to sell the company to an investor who intends to cease its operations on Shabbat and holidays. In his letter, Eisenberg warns that reducing operations could harm Arkia's business model, financial stability, competitiveness, and the job security of hundreds of employees. According to him, 'Preventing desecration of Shabbat is a legitimate worldview, but it is not a business strategy.' He added that Arkia cannot become an ideological experiment, and that the Histadrut will use all legal, organizational, and public means to prevent harm to employees. According to reports, the potential buyer is Ezra Unger, a Hasidic real estate developer from Brooklyn, who seeks to make the company strictly kosher and halt flights on Shabbat, holidays, and intermediate festival days. Also, Chairman of the Aviation and Tourism Workers Corporation at Arkia, Avi Adari, clarified that he would oppose closing Arkia on Shabbat.