KKL Cancels Employee Event Costing Over $250,000 Due to Union Boycott
An employee appreciation event organized by the Jewish National Fund (JNF), also known as Keren Kayemeth LeYisrael (KKL), was canceled after the workers' union instructed its members to boycott it. The event, scheduled to take place at the Shuni Amphitheater, was set to feature a performance by Israeli singers Shlomi Shabat and Pablo Rosenberg. The union chairman, Israel Goldstein, sent a directive to employees on the day before the event, urging them to "boycott the event and not take part in it." Due to the union's boycott, KKL's CEO, Ilan Shohat, announced the cancellation, stating that the union's decision would "cause damage to your status and honor (of the employees) and financial damage of over one million shekels for the cancellation of the event."
The cancellation is the latest development in an ongoing dispute between the union and KKL's new management, which took over in January with the appointment of Eyal Ostrovsky as chairman. The conflict stems from management's efficiency and cost-saving measures, which have reduced the power and status of the union chairman, Israel Goldstein, who is reportedly a significant figure in the Likud party. KKL's management has decided to take direct control of the employee welfare budget, previously managed by the union, which amounts to approximately seven million shekels. A key measure is the halt in the growth of employee numbers; Ostrovsky approved only 1,275 positions for 2026, down from a requested 1,400, and the 2027 budget anticipates a further decrease to 1,250 employees.
This workforce reduction is a response to a significant increase in personnel that occurred under the previous chairman, Yifat Ovadia-Luski, during which KKL hired 220 new employees. Over five years, the workforce grew by nearly 30%, leading to a 44% increase in fixed expenses from 444 million shekels in 2021 to 640 million shekels in the 2026 budget. During this period, Goldstein allegedly became very influential and involved in numerous appointments. The efficiency measures and perceived undermining of Goldstein's position prompted his call for the boycott.
Goldstein explained his call for the boycott by stating that "the management consistently chooses to sideline and ignore the workers' organization on a long list of substantive issues, including employee events and employee welfare." He also noted that expected cuts in fixed expenses "constitute a direct blow to the employees." While the 2027 fixed expenses are projected to remain at 640 million shekels, this represents a real decrease when accounting for inflation, primarily due to the reduced workforce and a new policy of hiring only essential personnel. KKL management did not respond to requests for comment. Goldstein stated that the union "will continue to act with determination, day and night, for the employees of the organization and to protect their rights, even against a management that abuses employees and chooses to act out of narrow and political considerations against the organization and its employees."
