Histadrut labor federation chief Ofer Eini criticized on Monday MK Eitan Cabel’s comments about Eini’s tenure as the election for the chairmanship kicked into high gear.Earlier Monday, Cabel slammed Eini calling him a failed leader and listing off reasons why he must be replaced by a new leader.Cabel said that if there is not a substantive change to the Histadrut, “in another 20 years there will be no organized labor movement in Israel.” He also accused Eini of being complicit in the government’s goal of draining the labor movement of its vitality. Cabel added that Eini acts like the Histadrut is the mafia and that he had instigated a “reign of fear and terror” in his running of the Histadrut and in threatening Cabel's supporters. Moreover, Eini promoted relatives and friends like his wife and his brother to senior positions within the organization, according to Cabel. More workers have lapsed into poverty because the power of the Histadrut under Eini has eroded and the organization has degenerated, said Cabel.In response, Eini’s campaign came out swinging, stating that the Histadrut under Eini is the strongest organization in Israel with a socio-economic focus and that their claim is proven by the hundreds of thousands of new members that joined during Eini’s term. Eini added that Cabel’s entire experience on labor issues consisted of presiding over the Labor party during a time when the collective bargaining agreement was canceled. He further criticized Cabel noting that Cabel never initiated a single law or initiative to improve the lives of workers. In light of that record, Eini found it surprising that Cabel was “daring to preach, denigrate, slander and insult” him over his accomplishments as Histadrut leader.
