The annual conference of the Israeli Industrial Relations Association (IIRRA) on “The World of Work and COVID-19 Crisis Economic, Social and Labour Relations Implications” was held on October 22 at ZOOM and was organized by the IIRRA in cooperation with FES Israel and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
The discussions were attended by prominent experts and personalities in the economy, representatives of workers organizations, employers and experts from the International Labor Organization.
The World of Work and COVID- 19 Crisis
Economic, Social and Labour Relations Implications
Thursday, 22/10/2020, 09:30 – 14:00 Israel Time, 08:30 – 13:00 CET
9.30-9.45 Get together and registration
9.45-10.00 – Opening Statements
Adv. Orly Bitty, IIRRA Chairperson,
Mr. Maurizio Bussi, Deputy Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia
Mr. Micky Drill, Project Manager, FES-Israel
Session 1
Main developments in Israel and in selected countries facing the crisis from social, economic and employment perspectives. Government policy, main activities exercised by employers’ and workers’ organizations
10.00 -11.20- Chairperson- Dr. Roby Nathanson, CEO, Macro, The Center for Political Economics
Presentations by Dr. Roby Nathanson
Mr. Sher Verick, Senior Economist, Employment, Labour Markets and Youth Branch, ILO
Mr. David Leffler, Director General, Ministry of Economy and Industry
Mr. Bernhard Schulz, Head of Labour and Social Affairs, German Embassy
Adv. Ayelet Nahmias Verbin, Vice President, Manufacturers’ Association of Israel
Mr. Ariel Ya’acobi, Chairman of the Government’s Workers Union, The New Histadrut
Discussion, Q&A
Session 2
Ways of handling the crises
11.20 -12.20 – Chairperson-Mr. Ilan Levin, General Manager and Owner, The Consulting Company Levin Ilan Y.N. Ltd
Ms. Yaffa Vigodsky, Chairwoman “Ma’agalim”-the Fund for Workers of Wearing Professions
Mr. Idan Cohen, Head of Strategy Planning, Wages and Labour Agreements Department, Ministry of Finance – Collective Agreements in the Public Sector in the Current Crisis
Mr. Konstantinos Papadakis, Senior Social Dialogue and Governance Specialist, Social Dialogue and Tripartism Unit, ILO
Session 3
Vulnerable segments of workers’ groups
Focusing on young workers, freelancers, gender equality
12.20-13.40- Chairperson- Mr. Peter Lerner, Director General of the International Relations Division, the Histadrut – General Federation of Labor in Israel
Ms. Susana Puerto-Gonzalez, Senior Youth Employment Specialist, Employment, Labour Markets and Youth Branch, ILO
Mr. Shlomi Yehiav, Chairperson, National Union of Israeli Students
Presentation of research on gender justice – Ms. Hadas Ben Eliyahu, Director of “She-Knows” at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute
MP Hava-Etty Atia, Member, Labor, Welfare and Health Committee
Mr. Ori Reshtik, Representative of Freelancers, CEO, SHAHAM, The Israeli Actors Organization
Discussion, Q&A
13.40-14.00- Closing Statements
