It's 1, 2, 3 Strikes ... [2]

During the last month or so, there has hardly been a day without one strike or another.

• The post-elementary teachers are on strike for a better deal with the Finance Ministry, who after all, they are among the lowest paid teachers in the developed world and lowest paid workers (even assuming an advanced degree and 15 years experience) in the country -- less than 5,000 NIS a month [~USD 1,250] or USD 15,000/year.
• The Port of Ashdod was on strike.
• The Israel Electric Company against the proposed, and now legislated, privatization plan which would ruin their benefit of free (and unlimited) electricity.
• The university students are/were on strike to protest the government committee that is expected to call for a tuition increase (to cover the shortfall created by the diminishing government contribution to higher education).
• The National Insurance Institutions (social security) because they wanted better working conditions including money.
• On and on ...

Tomorrow is a threatened nation-wide strike called by the Histradrut [the National Federation of Workers] to protest the lack of payment (salaries), some up to 10 months, of various municipal employees throughout Israel. The government issued a number of promises to address the issue. However, some 1,000 people remain waiting for their paycheck for 10 months. Lots of excuses are offered by the government -- the ministries of finance, interior, PMO (responsible for the local religious councils) -- but, of course, little action. Ironically, this group -- many of whom worked in Arab (read non-Jewish) areas -- has continued to show up and did their work despite not being paid (kind of silly too). I really feel for their plight and it's a real embarrassment that the government and the country has allowed it to continue this long.

Unfortunately, like all the other strikes I'm not sure the actions are being targeted appropriately. I mean, if you're trying to influence an insensitive government, why inconvenience the general public? The public, also unfortunately, has little if any influence on government action. Among some of the reasons is that no Member of Knesset [MK] is directly responsible to any geographically identified population. They're completely reliant on some part of their party -- the central committee or in some cases the entire membership who voted for the party election list.

If the target is the government, why not withhold services that government and its ministers require? Collect the garbage, but instead of bringing it to the dump, place it on the lawn of the nearest Minister or the Prime Minister's residence or the Knesset grounds. Have each of the municipal employees call/fax the government inquiring when their back paychecks will be direct deposited. Encourage the government aides to refuse to do their work, thus making the Minister do all the work. Picket them at their homes. Generally, make their lives so disagreeable that they feel it necessary to resolve the workers' issues quickly and in good faith.

And, yes, I know it's all just a (pipe) dream.