South Port and Histadrut Sign Landmark Collective Wage Agreement
The Histadrut, South Port management, and workers signed a landmark collective agreement featuring substantial wage hikes, productivity bonuses, and enhanced welfare benefits.
The Histadrut, the management of South Port (HCT Ltd.), and the workers' representative committee have signed a comprehensive collective agreement. The deal significantly improves the wages, employment conditions, and welfare of the port's employees, alongside operational measures designed to maximize its activity and sustain growth.
Enhanced Wages and Welfare Benefits
Under the agreement, workers will receive substantial wage increases alongside a series of welfare benefits. These include increased employer participation in funding day-care centers and summer camps for employees' children, an expanded general welfare budget, formal company vacations, and additional perks for workers and their families.
Furthermore, an advanced productivity reward model has been established to encourage professional excellence and strengthen port performance. The agreement also dictates that employees who expand their professional training and acquire additional certifications will be eligible for extra compensation.
First Agreement Post-Establishment
This marks the first collective agreement signed since the completion of the port's establishment and launch phases. It reflects the alignment of wage and employment terms with the impressive performance and achievements attained by South Port in recent years.
« This agreement is a significant step in the port's establishment and the building of its future. It is a modern, advanced agreement combining fair compensation for workers with mechanisms that encourage growth, productivity, and success, » stated Histadrut Chairman Arnon Bar-David.
Transportation and Ports Workers Union Chairman Adv. Eyal Yadin noted that South Port has grown to become a significant competitor in the port sector, praising the maturity of labor relations that led to this milestone agreement. Adv. Nir Eisenberg, Deputy Chairman of the union, emphasized the partnership model between management and the labor committee.
Leadership and Joint Commitment
Ashdod Workers' Region Chairman Haim Sheib highlighted South Port as a major growth engine for the Ashdod region and the Israeli economy as a whole. Maritime Division Manager Adv. Shamri Segal added that the agreement represents the culmination of joint efforts to map out the port's long-term needs while ensuring efficient work at competitive wages.
Workers' Committee Chairman Dan Biton expressed great satisfaction, viewing the agreement as a vital recognition of the employees' dedication and hard work. The negotiations were accompanied by a robust team of union officials, labor lawyers from Elad Morag's office, and South Port management representatives including CEO Eyal Baruch and HR executives.
