Histadrut's chairman, Arnon Bar-David is establishing a monitoring committee to examine the cost of living

The Histadrut's chairman, Arnon Bar-David, who this week addressed the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance and the CEOs of the major companies in the economy, is expanding the Histadrut's activities on the subject and establishing a monitoring committee to examine the cost of living in Israel. "The temporary containment of the rising price trend, which we achieved together through public pressure, will not last long if we do not always have a hand on the pulse. Manufacturers and importers, some of whom have agreed to freeze their intention to raise prices, are already staring at the next opportunity. And you will know how to react accordingly, "the chairman of the Histadrut said today during the establishment of the committee.
The committee appointed by Bar-David will work to monitor the changes in the price indices in the economy while adjusting them to the local purchasing power, and comparing the situation of the State of Israel to other developed countries. Meanwhile, the rate of price increase will be regularly examined against the changes in real wages, in order to prevent wage erosion and balance the gap between household incomes and expenditures.
The monitoring and monitoring that the committee will carry out will be in a variety of categories, while building product baskets that reflect all sections of the population. In addition, the committee was asked by the chairman of the Histadrut to formulate an alternative index to the consumer price index in a way that would more faithfully reflect the lower deciles as well.
As part of its role in examining market arrangements that are detrimental to the consumer public, the committee will also examine centralization in the value chain. This is in order to warn of price increases related to the monopolistic power accumulated by some of the commercial entities, which in parallel with their activities as manufacturers or importers, also act as marketers; The committee will also examine the impact of lowering tariffs in the various industries, and the excess profitability rate of public companies relative to the world.
Along with monitoring the rise in product prices, the committee will also examine in an international comparison the government's investments in public services and civilian infrastructure, in order to examine whether the government promotes labor productivity and human capital in a way that will ensure lower living costs in the long run.
As part of its activities, the committee will publish recommendations documents for decision-makers and periodic reviews for the public.
The Monitoring Committee for the Examination of the Cost of Living in the Histadrut will be headed by the Histadrut's CEO, Adv. The Histadrut Consumer Adv. Yaron Levinson, director of the Macro and Policy Department at the Hila Shinok Histadrut's Economics Division, chairman of the Mazal Golan Ministry of Welfare Committee, senior statisticians and accountants and other external consultants from academia and industry.
Histadrut chairman Arnon Bar-David added: "Whenever a profitable commercial entity wants to push its hand deeper into the pockets of Israeli households, we will be here to warn and make sure that any pig behavior has consequences. The Histadrut in my shift has already proven more than once that we know how to act responsibly and be senior partners in solutions that help stabilize the local economy and strengthen workers and the economy. We will invest in activities that will help deal with the cost of living, and we will continue to play a leading role in protecting workers, even when they are consumers. "