Our Labor Law Department represented Nokia Solutions and Networks Israel Ltd. in a precedent-setting collective labor dispute filed by the Histadrut (General Federation of Labor). The Histadrut alleged that the company interfered with initial unionization efforts and that the internal employee organization was a management-driven body.
The Tel Aviv Regional Labor Court rejected all claims, finding no basis for the allegations. The court determined that Nokia had acted properly and even instructed its management not to interfere with unionization efforts. All relief sought by the Histadrut was denied, and no compensation was awarded.
Significantly, the court ruled for the first time in Israeli labor law that an internal employees’ organization, formed independently by employees within the company, qualifies as a legitimate labor union under existing legal standards.
This is a historic and groundbreaking decision, setting a new legal precedent in Israel’s labor relations landscape.
