Israeli industrialists call on the transport minister to resign "anarchy" in Haifa and Ashdod ports

A group of leading Israeli industrialists is calling on the transport minister to resign over what they describe as "complete anarchy" in Haifa and Ashdod ports. Shraga Brosh, the head of the country's biggest business lobby, chaired an emergency meeting in Tel Aviv this morning and told members of the Confederation of Industrialists that the scandalous state of labour relations in the ports was losing them too much money with no end in sight. Shipping Council head Reuven Zuk says 30 ships are currently at anchor outside Haifa, the result of delays caused by wildcat strikes over minor disputes with management. A partial privatisation of the ports sector in 2004 and a government-led reform programme was intended to usher in a new era of labour relations, but from the shippers’ point of view little has changed. A transport ministry spokesman said the call for his boss to resign was “irrelevant to finding a solution to the problem.” Nevertheless, data released this week by the treasury shows that some trade (probably small, high-value items carried by air) is thriving. The value of imports to Israel rose by 13% during the first four months of 2007 compared with the same period last year.