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

Pnechas Idan, chairman of the Airport Authority workers' union, is set to petition the Labor Court on Saturday evening to issue an order preventing the imposition of extended six-day workweeks with 12-hour shifts on baggage handlers at Ben Gurion Airport. This legal move follows a recent strike earlier in the week, when baggage handlers stopped work after nine hours due to extreme physical strain and exhaustion. Idan accuses the airport management of violating labor regulations by overburdening workers, risking their health.

The union's court petition aims to halt the continuation of these grueling work conditions, which have led to significant operational disruptions in baggage handling and could impact flight schedules if restrictions on work hours are enforced. Alongside the legal action, the union released a statement highlighting a severe manpower shortage at the airport, estimating a deficit of 400 to 500 workers necessary to maintain routine operations and adequate passenger service.

The union attributes this shortage to management failures and recruitment difficulties, compounded by over 100 employees serving in reserve duty and many others absent due to long-term illness, injuries, or workplace accidents. Current operational staff reportedly work between 220 and 260 hours monthly under intense conditions without breaks. The union warns that without immediate and comprehensive intervention, service quality will deteriorate, especially during the upcoming high-demand period of the Jewish High Holidays.