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Israel: Picking the best deal for workers

Karina, 42, works on a farm that employs Arab women through our partner WAC (Workers' Advice Centre) for the minimum wage [Laura Storr]

Our partner Workers' Advice Centre (WAC) in Israel is demanding equal and fair rights for Arab women who work on Israeli farms

On the approach to Dodi Cohen Farm fields of fruit in neat rows stretch out across the landscape. Sitting on the ground under the shade of an olive tree Karina takes a well earned break.

She has spent the morning packing strawberries in the large farm near Tel Aviv where she has worked for the last eight months.

“My husband died ten years ago and left me with four children so I was forced to go out to work to make ends meet. When I started I used to work through middle men and my pay was 100 shekels a day.”

Karina breaks into a smile and becomes increasingly animated: “I then saw an advert in a newspaper for WAC and now I earn 150 shekels a day.

“The work is nicer and more organised and the fact that I can provide more for my family gives me peace of mind.”

Minority workers

Karina, 42, comes from Ar’ara an Arab village close to the West Bank. She is one of 20 Arab women at the farm working through The Worker’s Advice Centre - Women in Agriculture (WAC). Being employed sets her apart from the majority of Arab women in Israel where 19 per cent of Arab women work compared to 56 per cent of Jewish women.

The reasons for this discrepancy are complex including the widespread loss of family land after 1948, stigma attached to women doing manual work, social norms where women are often chaperoned if travelling with a man and a lack of state facilities that help women go out to work such as creches.

Poor working conditions

There is also widespread exploitation of this group of workers which is where our partner WAC steps in.

Danny Ben Simhoh is the field co-ordinator who helped to arrange Karina’s work. “Arab women used to go to work through middle men known as a “Ra’as”. They would only pay them two thirds of the minimum wage with no pay slip which means if you get injured you have no insurance.

It is difficult to convince a farmer to take workers. I have met 100 farmers that laugh at me when I tell them they must pay the minimum wage

Danny Ben Simhoh, WAC field co-ordinator

“Working like this doesn’t give women dignity or encourage other women to come out and work.”

Fighting for equal rights

WAC works with farmers to ensure the women receive the minimum wage and a payslip which gives them access to social security benefits, a pension and insurance.

Their work is being made more difficult due to an influx of migrant workers. There are more than 29,000 foreign workers working in agriculture in Israel.

“It is difficult to convince a farmer to take workers. I have met 100 farmers that laugh at me when I tell them they must pay the minimum wage,” Danny explains.

“Most of them hire foreign workers who are cheaper and often live with them at the back of the house so they can work all day. If farmers have less work they generally fire the local workers not the foreign workers.

“Yesterday a big farmer who hires twenty local workers dismissed ten of them. This was because there was a reduction in the amount of water they were allocated by the government which meant they had to close down some of their production. The moment the situation changes the local workers are the first to be dismissed. We call them the spare wheel.”

Negogiating for the workers

In situations like this WAC tries to negotiate with the farmer to allow the workers to return back to work. If this is not possible it looks for a suitable alternative.

Eitaf Abuhelal, 23, works on a farm through WAC (Workers' Advice Centre) and is involved in the organisation's empowerment group [Laura Storr]

“It’s unbelievable to think of all the work they do to just sort out one work placement” explains 23-year-old Eitaf Abuhelal who is employed through WAC. “I really appreciate this.

"One time the farmer told us in the middle of the day to go home. WAC spoke up for us and told him he couldn’t throw us out - that he had to give us notice. They forced him to keep us for two weeks and by that time we’d found other work.”

Supporting women

Eitaf is one of eight siblings and started working when she was 17. She has worked for WAC for two years and is also involved in its empowerment group which aims to teach women about their rights.

“It’s important that women can earn their own money. What happens if a woman’s husband dies? Who is going to pay the bills?” she explains.

“We’re in a very different situation. We’re suffering from unemployment and a lack of access to learning opportunities. At this point we really need support.”

(Left to right) Richard Cockle, John Corney, Lizzie Cranfield, and Gavin Baxter celebrate together after finishing the Great North Run 2005 [CAFOD]

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CAFOD is the official Catholic aid agency for England and Wales