Ben Gurion Airport Workers’ Union Seeks Court Order to Limit Exhausting Shifts Amid Staffing Crisis

Pnechas Idan, chairman of the Airport Authority workers’ union, announced he will petition the labor court on Saturday night to issue an injunction preventing the imposition of six-day workweeks with 12-hour shifts on baggage handlers at Ben Gurion Airport. This legal move follows a recent escalation when baggage handlers halted work after nine hours due to extreme physical strain and exhaustion. Idan accused airport management of violating labor regulations by imposing unreasonable workloads that endanger workers’ health, stating, "The employees are simply collapsing."

The union’s court petition aims to stop further harm to ground staff and could directly affect baggage handling operations and flight schedules if work hour restrictions are imposed. Concurrently, the union released a statement highlighting a severe manpower shortage within the Airport Authority, estimating a deficit of 400 to 500 workers needed to maintain routine operations and adequate passenger service. The union attributes this shortage to management failures and recruitment difficulties, criticizing the authority’s ongoing inaction that left the airport ill-prepared for the busy summer season.

Additionally, the union noted that over 100 employees are absent due to reserve military duties, with many others out on extended sick leave, injuries, or workplace accidents. Current operational staff reportedly work between 220 and 260 hours monthly under intense conditions without breaks. The union warned that without immediate and comprehensive intervention, passenger service quality will deteriorate, especially ahead of the high-demand Jewish holiday period. This petition and public warning mark a significant escalation in the labor dispute at Israel’s main international airport.