The National Labor Court: Net Melinda will pay NIS 500,000 for injuring it's employees

The National Labor Court dismissed the appeal by Net Melinda of the judgment requiring it to pay NIS 500,000 in compensation for unlawfully injuring its employees. Net is an importer and food distributor of the largest in Israel and is under the control of the Ezra family (as Chairman of the Net Board of Directors Melinda serves as Adi Ezra. His father, Uncle Ezra is President of the parent company "Net Holdings").
In April this year, the Be'er Sheva Regional Tribunal issued a ruling requiring the Net to pay the Histadrut compensation for violating the workers' union. Among other things, it was found that the company commander was physically abusive towards the chairman of the workers' committee, slamming him to the floor when he saw him talking to the workers and snatching forms for joining the Histadrut.
 The tribunal also held that the company had established a network of "collaborators", who conveyed to the other employees messages of resistance to incorporation in its mission and encouragement, uninterrupted, when it was actively and acutely opposed to the association's activities in the Histadrut.
The company appealed to the national court and sought to overturn the ruling and the determinations that required it to pay compensation. In addition, the company appealed the level of compensation. The Histadrut has filed a counterclaim on the ground that given the size of the company and the size of its business, and in order for the compensation to deter other employers from illegal behavior, it should be even higher.
The national tribunal - headed by Justice Leah Glicksman - rejected the company's appeal and decided, despite considering the Histadrut appeal, not to interfere with the regional court's decision. The compensation, which has already been paid, will be waived by the Histadrut and will continue to strengthen the workers' rights in the country.