Middle East Information Resource
Political Entities - Histadrut
Histadrut is the Israeli labour organization that includes workers in the cooperative and collective agricultural settlements as well as in most industries. In English is is called the General Federation Of Labour. It is the largest voluntary organization in Israel. It is an important economic body in Israel and its activities extend beyond the traditional scope of labor unions. Histadrut is administered by an executive bureau elected by an executive committee, which is in turn elected by delegates chosen by members. The organization`s leadership was dominated by the Mapai Party, which in 1968 merged with other parties to form the Labor Party. Histadrut is affiliated with the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions.
Histadrut was founded in December 1920 at the Haifa Technion; its first General Secretary was David Ben Gurion. It was created as a trade union which would organize the economic activities of Jewish workers. Attempts to form this kind of organization had been made before, but had failed because certain political parties had insisted on maintaining separate services for their own members. Efforts were made to establish a non-partisan, non-political organization, in order to avoid a destructive rivalry between trade unions. The organization was expected to operate a consumers union, a sick fund, and employment exchanges; it was out of this vision that the Histadrut developed.
The founding members were profoundly influenced by the Russian-Jewish socialist tradition characteristic of the second aliyah (1904 to 1914). They fervently believed in the building and settlement of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, and were devoted to the revival of the Hebrew language and of a complete Jewish culture. The were strict socialists and they firmly believed that the representatives of the workers should not earn more than the workers themselves. The opening resolutions of the first Histadrut conference expressed their goals by stating: "It is the aim of the United Federation of all the workers and laborers of Palestine who live by the sweat of their brows without exploiting the toil of others, to promote land settlement, to involve itself in all economic and cultural issues affecting labor in Palestine, and to build a Jewish workers` society there."
In 1920, membership of the Histadrut was approximately 4,400. In 1922, 8,394 of the 16,608 workers in the country were members of the Histadrut. Of immigrants arriving in the country, 75 percent became members. By 1927, the Histadrut claimed to serve 25,000 workers, or 75 percent of the entire Jewish Palestine labor force. The Histadrut has maintained a powerful position in Israeli society since its inception. Its policies have been guided by its goals of achieving full employment as well as security of tenure for its workers. In time, the Histadrut itself became the largest employer in Israel. Its role as employer as well as defender of the worker has made the Histadrut a very complex and unique organization.
Histadrut includes marketing and distribution agencies for consumer goods, materials, and equipment; a vast construction enterprise that builds settlements and public institutions; credit societies and banks; and trade unions and cooperatives in every branch of labor. The organization also deals with wage rates and working conditions in private industry. Histadrut often cooperates as a principal with private investors in major industrial and public enterprises. Its varied enterprises account for more than 20 percent of the gross national product. It is also operates a health service and a system of social insurance. Its educational and cultural activities include secondary and technical schools, a widespread system of adult education, theatre companies, and the publication of books, newspapers, and technical journals.
In 1921 Histadrut formed a construction and public works company, as well as the Workers` Bank. The power that Histradrut weilded attracted organized crime. The main body of organized crime in Israel exists within Histadrut. The Histadrut was set up as a way to enforce Labor hegemony over the Jews of Palestine. Histadrut membership was almost a necessity for getting a job in the land of Israel before 1948. A special department of Histadrut was set up in 1943 for Arab workers. Workers who were not members were barred from many jobs through the 1970`s. Histadrut funds were always used by the Labor Party to fund its election campaigns. Before statehood, funds donated by Jews around the world were funneled through the Histadrut to the Mapai Party. After 1948 Israeli governmental funds were at times diverted in the same way. In 1971 Histadrut was recognized by the Israeli government as the sole legal representative organization for labor in Israel. In 1968 The Mapai Party, which had dominated Histadrut for years, merged with other parties to form the Labor Party.