The Histadrut announced a labor dispute at Hot Mobile

The Histadrut today (Tuesday) announced a labor dispute in the company Hot Mobile, and this after the negotiations to settle retirement compensation for employees who will end their employment as part of the company’s efficiency procedure reached an impasse. In addition, the management demanded that the employees give up financial supplements, even though they were decided in a collective agreement that was signed only a few months ago.

If negotiations are not conducted with the desire to reach agreements on the issues at the heart of the labor dispute, the employees will be able to hold organizational measures in the company starting on April 16, 2024.

In the Histadrut’s view, the company’s conduct lacks good faith and is carried out in a way that is not acceptable in labor relations in general, and collective labor relations in particular.

More than 200 workers are unionized in the Hot Mobile cellular company from the Hot Group. Last September, as mentioned, a new collective bargaining agreement was signed in the company, which presented profits in 2023. However, a few months later, during the war, and while the chairman of the committee was serving in the reserves in Gaza, the company’s management announced that it wished to open the agreement and requested the agreement of the workers’ representatives not to grant Salary increases in 2024.

Furthermore, and despite the financial data it presented, the company recently announced that it wishes to carry out an efficiency procedure. The company stepped up and clarified that it does not intend to give the laid off increased retirement compensation, in what appears to be a lever of pressure against the Histadrut.

It should be noted that according to the collective agreement, there is an obligation to hold negotiations regarding the terms of retirement in the entire streamlining process and the process of agreeing on the identity of the laid off.

The representatives of the employees at Hot Mobile believe that the intention to harm the working conditions of Hot Mobile employees comes as a demand from the parent company, Hot, and as part of the extensive streamlining and layoff procedures that the parent company intends to conduct, which also include layoffs at Hot.

It should also be noted that the workers’ representation at Hot Mobile, out of a responsible attitude, agreed to the postponement of the wage increases promised in the last agreement if these were returned in full starting in 2025, but the company chose to blow up the negotiations following the committee’s demand to receive clarifications about the need during layoffs in general, and about the identity The fired in particular.

Chairman of the Union of Internet, Mobile and High-Tech Workers, Yaki Halutzi: “We demand from the company’s management to treat its employees who have served it faithfully for years in a proper and respectful way, as is customary in the industry. Unfortunately, the negotiations with the company did not bring any good news, so we announced today a labor dispute.”

Chairman of the Hot Mobile Workers’ Council, Eli Cohen: “Hot Mobile’s employees bring the company to achievements and profitability and serve as the group’s growth engine. The number of employees at Hot Mobile is minimal, and the company’s employees are under the control of Sayerat, so not only is there no room to fire any employee, but the truth is that we actually need to take in more employees in order for the company to Continue to grow and develop. The committee members and I will not allow harm to the workers and the agreements reached in the collective agreement.”

MHot Mobile Delivered: “Hot Mobile considers its employees partners in the journey and invests heavily in their development and well-being. The company respects and will continue to respect the collective agreements it has signed.

“Against the background of the impact of the war on the communications market and the changes in the communications market that affect the company’s results, the Hot Mobile committee and the representatives of the Histadrut were presented with full transparency the meanings and effects, as well as the steps required in a wide variety of alternatives, in order to allow the company to face the challenges of the time.

“The company presented to the committee a request to terminate the employment of only a few employees, and strangely the committee rejected every proposal presented to it and decided to take extreme and unnecessary measures, in the midst of negotiations that have not yet been concluded and in bad faith.

“The company’s management will continue to be committed to its employees and behave responsibly for the benefit of strengthening the company.”