ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

- CONTENT -
THE CHAMEMITE STRIKE, ALSO CALLED THE “MOSES REBELLION,” IS A NICKNAME FOR A PROFESSIONAL STRUGGLE BY MAY ISRAEL THAT HAS AROUSED A GREAT DEAL IN PUBLIC OPINION IN THE EARLY YEARS.

THE STRIKE.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
DURING THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE, THE SHIPS OF MANY INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING COMPANIES STOPPED FUNCTIONING BY ISRAEL PORTS. AND WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE STATE, IT WAS DECIDED TO ESTABLISH AN “ISRAELI MERCHANT FLEET” IN WHICH ISRAELI-OWNED SHIPS AND ISRAELI CHEMISTS. THIS IS TO ENSURE THE TRADE AND MOVEMENT OF PASSENGERS TO ISRAEL (IN THOSE YEARS THE AIRPORT WAS SMALL AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE PASSENGER TRAFFIC WAS IN SHIPS). THE COMPANY WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1945 BY THE JEWISH AGENCY, WHICH HELD 45% OF THE CAPITAL OF THE SHARES, THE HISTADRUT – BY 45%, AND THE MARITIME THREAT TO ISRAEL – BY 10%. HOWEVER, WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COUNTRY, ONLY ONE PASSENGER SHIP WAS OWNED BY A “PREMISE”. BETWEEN THE SUMMER OF 1948 AND MARCH 1949, HE QUICKLY ACQUIRED OTHER SHIPS, SOME IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER COMPANIES OWNED BY JEWISH CAPITAL HOLDERS FROM BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES. IN ADDITION, ANOTHER COMPANY WAS ESTABLISHED, THE "ISRAELI-AMERICAN LINES", WHICH WAS JOINTLY OWNED WITH THE ROYAL FAMILY. AT THIS STAGE, THE ISRAELI MERCHANT FLEET HAD 15 SHIPS AND A JOINT MANAGEMENT COMPANY CALLED "SHAM".

FOR “ISRAELI MERCHANT FLEETS,” RAISED YOUNG PEOPLE FROM “THE BEST OF YOUTH,” SOME OF THE DEFENDERS, THE PALMACH AND THE TYRANNICAL SHIP ACTIVISTS, WHO WERE SINGLE TO PATRIOTIC AND IDEOLOGICAL, WHO WERE TRAINED QUICKLY, WITH THE GOAL THAT MOST OF THE NAVY’S SUPERIORS WOULD BE ISRAELIS, REPLACING FOREIGN WORKERS EMPLOYED IN THE NAVY. BY JULY 1950, 1,000 ISRAELI SAILORS WERE ALREADY TRAINED. THE VISAS WILL BE PRESENTED AS A “IMMUNE UNION” ESTABLISHED IN FEBRUARY 1948, AS PART OF THE HAIFA WORKERS’ COUNCIL, AND A DEAL IN NEGOTIATIONS ON TRADE AGREEMENTS AND WORKING CONDITIONS AGAINST THE COMPANY OF “SHAM”.

AFTER THE END OF THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE, INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING COMPANIES RETURNED TO COMMAND ISRAELI PORTS, MAINLY ITALIAN SHIPS. THE COMPANY "SHAM" HAD TO FACE THE COMPETITION AND ASKED FOR TRANSPORTATION AGREEMENTS TO ENSURE THAT 50 PERCENT OF THE TRAFFIC IN ISRAELI PORTS WOULD BE BY ISRAELI COMPANIES. AND TO STAY COMPETITIVE, THE COMPANY PAID LOW WAGES, COMPARED TO FOREIGN COMPANIES. IN EARLY 1951, A LABOR DISPUTE BROKE OUT. HAMIM DEMANDED IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TERMS OF WAGES AND SOME OF THE PAYMENT WILL BE GIVEN TO THEM IN FOREIGN CURRENCY, SINCE SEVEN DOCKS IN FOREIGN PORTS CAN’T USE ISRAELI CURRENCY. BUT THE COMPANY "SHAM" CLAIMED THAT IT COULD NOT RAISE WAGES OR PAY FOR FOREIGN CURRENCY. SURPRISINGLY, HE DID NOT SUPPORT THE “HIM ASSOCIATION” FOR THE DEMANDS RAISED BY THE MAMORI, AND THEY DECIDED TO HOLD A VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW REPRESENTATIONS FOR THE LIMS. HEMEMIM CLAIMED THAT MOST OF THE "IMMUNE UNION" BUSINESSES WERE NOT SELECTED AT ALL BUT WERE FUNDED BY THE HISTADRUT MECHANISMS, AND IN MOST CASES, THEY HAD NO PRIOR CONNECTION WITH HUNDREDS.

JUNE-JULY 1951 STRIKE
IN JUNE 1951, A STRIKE BROKE OUT IN THE SHIP "NAVA", WHILE SHE SPENT TWO WEEKS CHECKING IN MARSEILLES FOR REPAIRS. HEMEMS ASKED FOR 600 TO “A FOREIGN CURRENCY FOR PAYMENT OF LOCAL EXPENSES, BUT THE LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE “SHAM” AND THE ISRAELI CONSUL TO WHICH THEY TURNED REFUSED. IN RESPONSE, THEY STARTED THE STRIKE. WITH NO CHOICE, THE COMPANY WAS ORDERED TO EXPRESS THE FRAUD AND PLEDGED NOT TO TAKE REVENGE ON ANY ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES AGAINST THE RETURN, IF THEY RETURNED TO WORK AND INVADED THE SHIP TO ISRAEL. WHEN THE SHIP ARRIVED AT THE PORT OF HAIFA, HE WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE BURNT. THE COMPANY IMMEDIATELY ANNOUNCED TO THE 5 MEMBERS OF THE YMAY “NAVA”, WHO ARE FIRED AND RECRUITED TO THE ARMY (THEY WORKED IN THE MERCHANT FLEET INSTEAD OF MILITARY SERVICE). THE TEMPORARY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MAMHIM IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO THE HISTADRUT, THE HAIFA WORKERS’ COUNCIL, WHICH WAS “WHOM” IN DEMAND TO SUSTAIN, WITHIN 24 HOURS, AN INVESTIGATION ON THE MATTER OF THE CONFLICT, UNTIL THEN NOT TO REMOVE THE BEES FROM THE SHIP. BUT THEY DID NOT RESPOND TO THE OFFER AND THE WORKERS DECLARED A STRIKE. THE RIGHT TO THE OTHER SHIPS OF THE ISRAELI MERCHANT FLEET IMMEDIATELY JOINED THE STRIKE FOR SOLIDARITY WITH MY RETURN "NANABA". ON THE OTHER DAY OF THE STRIKE, SATURDAY ON 23