The Israeli trade union federation, the Histadrut, believes many fly-by-night cleaning and security companies that violate labour laws  and put draconian  clauses into their job contracts -  such as docking employees for equipment they break accidentally  - will soon be forced out of business because of new laws effective from the start of 2010.

Legislative amendments were won by a revitalized Histadrut under the leadership of Ofer Eini, during tough negotiations with Prime Minister Netanyahu. These changes to the law will require security companies and cleaning contractors to be licensed or face either a fine or a jail term.

Changes won part of a wider agreement to improve workers’ rights in Israel

The wins for these low-paid workers were part of a wider agreement won by the Histadrut in July 2009 - including improvements to the pension, unemployment benefit and a radical new unpaid leave plan.

Most importantly the Histadrut won legislative backing for compulsory collective bargaining where the union is able to prove membership.

Cleaning and security unions across the globe fighting for respect for low-waged cleaners and security guards

Unions across the globe like the SEIU in the USA and Canada, the FNV in the Netherlands, Unite in the UK, the LHMU in Australia and the  SFWU in New Zealand are fighting for more respect for low-waged cleaners and security guards.

However few of them have been able to convince their respective governments to introduce what the Histadrut has just won - extremely tough standards which could jail owners of cleaning and security companies.

Bosses will have to prove they have not been convicted for ‘moral turpitude’

Around 170,000 cleaners, guards and security officers are employed in Israel by companies who will now have to obtain a license , according to the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz

To do that they’ll have to prove that they have not been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude within the past five years.

Managers must show knowledge of workers’ rights

In addition, the company’s owners or CEO will have to provide evidence of previous managerial experience as well as knowledge of workers’ rights.

They’ll also have to put up a financial bond - the amount is to be decided within a few weeks - that will be forfeited if it turns out that the company has not upheld its employees’ rights. The forfeited monies will be handed over to the workers to ensure they are paid all their legal entitlements.

Hezi Ofir, the Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry’s Labor Laws Enforcement Division director, said that an owner who has already been informed by the ministry that it intends to issue it a license will be considered crime-free. He also said the ministry will go easy on scofflaws for the first three months.

However for the first time the Enforcement Division will now have the right to enter and inspect and enforce the rights of cleaners and security guards - which before this legislation they were not authorised to do on behalf of these low-paid workers.