Domino’s Pizza Israel workers held two separate protests to defend their right to unionize on Friday.
Some twenty people gathered outside of the CEO of the company Yossi Elbaz’s house in Kiryat Motzkin and a few dozen demonstrators gathered outside of the Domino’s branch at the Tel Aviv port.
According to Tomer Shmukler, the spokesperson for the protesting Domino’s employees, signs put up at many Domino’s branches called for workers to refrain from organizing. The signs indicated that the company would view as loyal workers who cancel their membership in the union. Shmukler claims that there were Domino’s managers who blocked entrance to their branches to workers who they identified as being part of the union.
Shmukler said that the Domino’s workers chose to unionize due to a large number of complaints that accumulated with regard to their pension rights, overtime pay, rights accruing due to seniority, recuperation pay and other rights.
Especially worrisome to the workers, was the welfare of the delivery employees who ride on mopeds that are not properly maintained, and work in all weather conditions without the appropriate clothing, Shmukler said.
A 23-year-old pizza delivery employee, Chen Kahlon said before the protest on Friday that the workers would not disappear and would not give up their rights.
“Management is using all means to harm our basic right to unionize. The protest in front of Yossi’s house is our way to show that we are not invisible.”
Kahlon also said that the delivery workers would no longer risk their lives due to the poor condition of the delivery mopeds.
As a result of the protests on Friday, the employees hope was that Yossi Elbaz and Domino’s Israel management would meet with the employees before the upcoming Passover holiday to negotiate.
Domino's Pizza Israel said on Sunday in reply that despite the fact that no representative has proven to have the appropriate authority to represent the workers, it was meeting with the Histadrut Labor Federation regarding the complaints. "We are disheartened however that the Histadrut continues to take combative steps," Domino's said.