Monday, May 4, 2009
A Hidden Perk
“The Israeli state has twenty-six labor laws on the books. The PNA only has one. Isreali labor law sets a minimum wage, while there is no minimum wage in PNA law. Similarly, Israeli legislation sets out no limit for severance pay. In Israeli law, there is accident insurance if an employee is injured on the way to work. Insurance will pay for long-term care and compensate for suffering. Israeli military orders have made a minimum wage and injury insurance compulsory in the settlements, these remained unenforced” ( p. 59). “Jurisdictional Politics” in the Occupied Territories Law & Social Inquiry.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I feel recognizing the labor laws that the Israeli state has are so important. Although there is constant tension swirling around about the jobs in the settlements, the fact that the government has created a minimum wage rule is crucial. Whether it is truly enforced is another story. Providing this boundary on how low a persons wage can go helps establish that the state is looking out a least economically in a way for their people. The fact that they give insurance too shows that the well being of their people is really important.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious, though, about the status of these labor laws within the Occupied Territories. While reading this article, I found that it really stressed the differences in the degree of politics and laws depending on the physical location of the individual.
ReplyDeleteI am also wondering about where the limitations on rights for Palestinians in the Occupied Territories originates and in what context. Does the Israeli government tell the PNA what rights to give and not to give? I definitely agree that the use of labor laws protects and privileges while making another group vulnerable to economic fluctuations, employers, and border closures...
ReplyDelete