JERUSALEM, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Israeli airline workers on Thursday staged a demonstration at the Ben Gurion Airport outside Tel Aviv to express their dissatisfaction with the distressful work environment and low payment.
From 10 am to 12 am local time, hundreds of employees of Israel's major airlines El Al, Israir and Arkia halted their work and demonstrated at the airport, according to statements issued by Israeli largest worker union Histadrut with photos and videos.
The demonstrators claim that there has been severe employment distress in the Israeli aviation industry since the outbreak of the coronavirus crisis, the statement said.
Thousands of aviation workers have been laid off or put on unpaid leave since the crisis began, and many have not yet returned to work and fear for their job security ahead of the Jewish New Year in early September, it added.
Workers of the Israel Airports Authority, which operates the airport, joined the demonstrations to show solidarity, according to a statement issued by Israel Airports Authority.
As a result, more than 10 takeoffs were postponed, and baggages were not unloaded from landing planes. The airport has resumed operation after the two-hour demonstration. Enditem
