Histadrut

The Histadrut (Hebrew for " merger " ), or Hahistadrut HaKlalit shel HaOwdim B'Eretz Israel ( ההסתדרות הכללית של העובדים בארץ ישראל in Hebrew: the General Federation of Workers of Israel ) is the umbrella organization of trade unions in Israel. It was in December 1920, and based in Haifa so almost 30 years before the Israeli state was founded by David Ben Gurion.

Originally, the Histadrut was Zionist- socialist -oriented, and built in the social sector comprehensive structures. The activities went far beyond purely trade union activity fields. The Histadrut founded, among others, the largest health insurance company in the country ( " Kupat Holim " ), nursing homes, convalescent homes, and many cooperative enterprises. They also carry out cultural and media institutions, and the Hapoel Sports Association, emerged from the numerous, later independent sports clubs. The Histadrut also founded with the help of the World Zionist Organization WCO their own bank, Bank Hapoalim. The first four decades after the founding of the state allowed the Israeli Ministry of Finance of the Histadrut, their pension funds in their own investment company Chewrat Owdim to invest, which could ensure a steady cash flow. In the Histadrut about 30 % of Israeli workers were employed in the 1960s. Through the combination of health insurance and union membership up to 70 % of adult Israelis were also temporarily unionized what the Histadrut secured a significant influence in the country.

Long the Histadrut Labor Party was close to that by themselves had significant influence. In 1994, the Histadrut, however, was completely rebuilt after the previous structural crises. In addition to the resolution of many union companies, there was a separation of the health insurance fund and the remaining remnants of the Israeli social economy ( Chevrat haOvdim ). For the first time Mapai was this year, not the internal elections, which take place every four years, with an absolute majority, decide for yourself. In 1995 the Association was renamed the New Histadrut. Its leader, Amir Peretz, founded his own party (Am Echad ), which was represented by two seats in the Israeli parliament.

After these changes, the Histadrut has mainly functions as a trade union in the Western European sense, it leads wage negotiations, but is also the umbrella organization for trade unions. She is a member of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and collaborates with other DGB.

Histadrut has about 450,000 members.