5 More Drown During Israeli Lifeguard Strike
Five people drowned in Israel over the weekend, and another was seriously injured when more than 200 lifeguards refused to show up for work because of an ongoing wage dispute, officials said Sunday.
Twelve swimmers have died, and 23 have suffered injuries on Israeli beaches since May 1, when the lifeguards began a partial strike to demand a 30% increase in salaries, said Hili Goldstein, assistant director-general of the Center for Local Authority, an umbrella group of municipalities.
Guards at the beaches of Tel Aviv, Haifa and Acre ended their strike after they worked out a wage agreement, Goldstein said.
The lifeguards at beaches elsewhere are refusing to work on Saturdays but show up for mornings the rest of the week.
Negotiations between the lifeguards and representatives of the municipalities are at a deadlock, and the strike will probably continue, Goldstein said.
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