Postal company head asks Histadrut to exempt needy from sanctions

Israel Postal Company director-general Avi Hochman called on Histadrut chairman Ofer Eini on Wednesday to intervene in the current work dispute and allow National Insurance Institute allotments to be distributed to the needy.
He also called on the workers’ union, headed by Baruch Weizman, and the finance and communications ministers to sit down immediately and solve the dispute.
Sanctions by Israel Postal Company employees intensified earlier this week, halting the delivery of mail to government ministries and ministers, MKs and diplomats, as well as payments for visas to the US.
The sanctions have resulted from an impasse between the Communications Ministry and the postal company union.
The former refuses to lower bulk mail rates so the government-owned company can offer competition to private entrepreneurs and make money from such mail distribution, while the latter insists that it do so, fearing hundreds will be dismissed as the postal company continues to lose money.
The Communications Ministry and the Treasury prefer efficiency measures to lowering rates, while the postal company demands its “promised security net” until it stabilizes financially. During the first quarter of this year, the company lost over NIS 10 million. 1 USD = 3.33077 ILS

Israel Postal Company director-general Avi Hochman called on Histadrut chairman Ofer Eini on Wednesday to intervene in the current work dispute and allow National Insurance Institute allotments to be distributed to the needy.
He also called on the workers’ union, headed by Baruch Weizman, and the finance and communications ministers to sit down immediately and solve the dispute.
Sanctions by Israel Postal Company employees intensified earlier this week, halting the delivery of mail to government ministries and ministers, MKs and diplomats, as well as payments for visas to the US.
These were added to the original sanctions that have been proceeding for weeks, including no mobile postal service except to Sderot and other communities near Gaza, no transfer of vehicle ownership and no switching of membership among health funds at postal branches – and no disbursement of NII allotments.
The sanctions have resulted from an impasse between the Communications Ministry and the postal company union.
The former refuses to lower bulk mail rates so the government-owned company can offer competition to private entrepreneurs and make money from such mail distribution, while the latter insists that it do so, fearing hundreds will be dismissed as the postal company continues to lose money.
The Communications Ministry and the Treasury prefer efficiency measures to lowering rates, while the postal company demands its “promised security net” until it stabilizes financially. During the first quarter of this year, the company lost over NIS 10 million. 1 USD = 3.33077 ILS