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A year and a half after the start of the unionizing of Pelephone workers, which became a symbol of the wave of unionizing in recent years in Israel and also a symbol of resistance on the part of employers, a precedent agreement has been signed.

In 2012 Pelephone management pressured its workers not to join the Histadrut, and at the height of the struggle the management did not hesitate to tow the vehicles of the heads of the workers' committee, which were parked at the Histadrut headquarters.

This struggle even won a historic ruling last January which was called "Pelephone Court Ruling", which banned all employers to express themselves in any way regarding the unionizing of their employees. Only four days after that ruling, Pelephone management recognized the unionizing of the workers and opened negotiations for a collective agreement, which knew ups and downs.

Eventually, on December 17, 2013 Pelephone management and the Histadrut signed a collective agreement which anchors the employment of 3,000 employees. This is the first collective agreement that was signed in the cellular field following Pelephone's recognition of the workers' committee in January of this year.

The collective agreement was signed between the Pelephone workers' committee and the company management in the presence of Ofer Eini, the Histadrut Chairman, and Avi Nissenkorn, Chairman of the Trade Union Division.

Pelephone workers' committee negotiated during 2013 with the company management on the terms of the agreement and now as stated it is taking shape and finally signed.

As part of the agreement, employees with two years seniority or more will receive an initial average wage increase of 6.5% according to their wage level and the seniority. Later, two additional wage increases of 3.1% each, will be given to company employees with seniority of over a year.

In addition it was agreed between the company and the Histadrut and the committee on additional benefits such as increasing the welfare budgets, increasing the rate of pension contributions, participating in kindergartens and summer camps of the company. Employees will receive a one-time payment at the time of the signing of between NIS 500 (equivalent to Euro 104) to NIS 13,000 (equivalent to Euro 2,692) depending on seniority. The grant will be for the year 2013.

Barak Levy, Chairman of the workers' committee: "The signing is very exciting. Few people know what the committee members went through during the hours and days and nights before the signing. We were under heavy tension and pressure and certainly this achievement was not easy to reach. From the beginning of the representation we said we'll take care of the workers of Pelephone and we'll take care of both the interests of the company and the interests of the workers. This agreement reflects exactly what we wanted to reach."

  Itamar Avitan, Deputy Chairman of the workers' committee: "I think that the negotiations that took place between us were real, transparent and practical negotiations. The management, headed by Gil Sharon, negotiated properly and well, and this is noteworthy. This is how the fabric of labor relations in Israel should look. From here we begin a new path and return to fight in order to maintain our position in the cellular market."

  Avi Nissenkorn, Chairman of the Trade Union division: "I have accompanied labor relations for around 25 years and I can wholeheartedly say that this is one of the most exciting days in the history of labor relations in Israel. This historic moment raises the unionizing of workers to the level of social convention that everyone will remember years ahead.

"This agreement proves that it is possible to make an agreement that is good for both the management and the workers. I would like to thank Ofer Eini who took the right to organize that was dormant for many years and tenaciously led to the enactment of laws and struggles for unionizing of workers which revived it in the Israeli economy."

Ofer Eini, Histadrut Chairman: "This is the best retirement gift I could receive. We are the only country in the world where there is such a trend of unionizing while in other countries there is a regression.”

"The agreement signed today is a milestone and turning point in labor relations. We want fair competition, but not when it comes at the expense of trampling employees.

"I call on the parties in Pelephone - the committee and the management to join forces so that your company will be even stronger.

"I want to especially thank Avi Nissenkorn who sees quite a few moves ahead and knows to compromise and to connect between employees and employers and to create the consensus. I hope that when you are elected you'll continue this momentum. The workers population needs you and wants to take its destiny in its hands and make a more equitable country with more rights for workers."