Airport Authority Moves to Remove Labor Union Head Following Sudden Strikes at Ben Gurion Airport

Days after unexpected labor strikes at Ben Gurion Airport, the chairman of the Israel Airports Authority (IAA) council, retired Major General Yiftach Ron-Tal, has initiated legal steps to revoke the extension of Pinchas Idan's term as chairman of the airport workers' union. This move follows intense political pressure and comes just three months after Ron-Tal had secured an exceptional one-year extension for Idan beyond retirement age, partly due to political influence from the Likud party. Ron-Tal has requested a legal opinion to assess the possibility of convening the authority's council to cancel the extension.

Simultaneously, the IAA announced it will dismiss Reuven Nagar, Idan's administrative assistant and union official, who was exposed in a previous investigation for fraudulent employment practices. Nagar reportedly clocked in and out without actually working for years. The Civil Service Commission had been investigating this case and had previously blocked his dismissal, but the IAA has now received authorization to proceed.

The labor dispute escalated when Idan petitioned the Labor Court to prevent the IAA management from imposing a six-day, 12-hour workweek on baggage handlers, citing severe worker fatigue. Idan claimed that the sudden strike, which led to the closure of check-in counters and operational chaos at the airport, was not initiated by the union but by management's decision after about a dozen to twenty baggage handlers left early. He emphasized that the union only sought basic workers' rights, not wage increases or anti-competition measures.

The IAA management countered that August and holiday periods are traditionally busy, with workers aware of extended shifts and overtime pay. They accused Idan of failing to warn about the strike and of abandoning a scheduled meeting with the CEO on the strike day. Management stated that the early departure of baggage handlers forced the closure of check-in counters due to operational impossibility.

The incident has sparked a blame game among politicians, with Prime Minister Netanyahu and Transportation Minister Miri Regev attributing responsibility to the IAA management and the union, while avoiding accountability for preventing the crisis. The ongoing dispute highlights tensions between political influence, labor rights, and operational challenges at Israel's main international airport.