Most branches of Bank Mizrahi-Tefahot were open on Monday throughout Israel despite a strike by the workers’ committee, but with limited staff and even more limited operational capability.
The people most affected by strike are the bank’s business clients and mortgage seekers.
A labor dispute has been in force since negotiations broke down over negotiations for a new wage agreement. Management is demanding the workers’ committee make a promise not to disrupt work operations; for its part, the workers’ committee is refusing to make that committee in light of an announcement last week that Mizrahi-Tefahot is in talks for a merger with Union Bank of Israel.
Monday was the fifth day of sanctions by the workers’ committee, with disruptions affecting bank operations, and mortgage seekers are still unable to get quotes or mortgage approvals. Bank Mizrahi-Tefahot is the fourth largest bank in Israel, but is the largest mortgage bank in Israel, managing 37% of the mortgages in Israel.
“Over 95 percent of the active branches were open on Sunday, and were providing services,” the bank’s management ckaimed to Globes in a statement. “The number of employees returning to their regular jobs continues to rise.”
District managers have been selective in choosing which small branches should remain closed; managers of those branches were asked to provide service at other branches instead.