Serious management failures caused Ben-Gurion Airport strike, says former IAA chief

Former Israel Airports Authority chairman Maj.-Gen. (res.) Eliezer "Chiney" Marom told 103FM that the Thursday staff strike at Ben-Gurion Airport resulted from serious management failures and insufficient summer staffing preparations. Marom called the strike "wildcat and unjustified," noting warnings were ignored.

Former Israel Airports Authority chairman Maj.-Gen. (res.) Eliezer "Chiney" Marom told 103FM on Sunday that the Thursday staff strike at Ben-Gurion Airport was the direct result of serious management failures and insufficient preparation for summer staffing shortages. Marom, who also served as Israel's Navy commander, said the situation deteriorated to the point where workers were collapsing from exhaustion. He noted that workers' committee chairman Pinchas Idan had issued repeated warnings about the labor shortage, but no preparations were made. Marom called the strike "wildcat and unjustified," stressing that stopping work on the busiest day of the year with tens of thousands of passengers was unacceptable. He also addressed Idan's exceptionally long tenure as committee chairman, suggesting term limits might be a good question, and discussed past nepotism at the Airports Authority, noting the issue has since been regulated.