10% Salary Increase, Bonuses, and Cibus: New Employment Terms for Kavim Drivers
A new collective agreement has been signed, significantly upgrading employment conditions for 2,000 bus drivers at Kavim. The deal includes special monthly bonuses, increased welfare budgets, and salary hikes totaling thousands of shekels.
A historic day for Kavim bus drivers: the company, the National Histadrut, and the Public Transport Drivers Organization announced the signing of a new collective agreement for approximately 2,000 employees. The agreement grants a significant upgrade to employment conditions and wages.
As part of the new deal, a special monthly hourly bonus of 6 NIS has been added to the base hourly wage of 55.18 NIS. A driver at Kavim will be able to reach a monthly salary increase of up to 1,700 NIS.
The agreement introduces a "safety and service quality" mechanism designed to promote excellence. Drivers who perform their work professionally and meet quality indicators—such as completing trips on time, driving safely, and providing courteous service—will receive a salary increase of about 10% based on their monthly performance.
Furthermore, the welfare budget has been increased to a record 1 million NIS per year, alongside a 700 NIS annual holiday gift. The agreement also guarantees meal expense coverage via a Cibus card (up to 24 NIS per day), legal assistance for traffic-related matters, and a signing bonus of up to 1,000 NIS per employee.
The deal includes an uncapped seniority bonus, semi-annual indexation of hourly wages, a 1,400 NIS vacation replacement payment in years without annual leave, the establishment of a mutual aid fund, and a formal appeal mechanism for disciplinary decisions.
Amir Asraf, CEO of Kavim, stated:
"The new collective agreement expresses our commitment to the drivers, who are the heart of Kavim and public transport. The safety and service quality mechanism creates a direct link between compensation and passenger service. I thank the National Histadrut, led by Shashi Sadeh, and the workers' committee, led by Mahdi Aton, for the responsible negotiations that led to this long-term agreement."
Israel Ganon, Chairman of the Drivers Organization, added:
"This is joyful news. The transport sector team at the National Histadrut worked tirelessly to secure an agreement that recognizes the hard work and dedication of the company's employees. We will continue to strengthen the status of drivers in Israel."
Advocate Maayan Grinberg, Director of the Transport and Logistics Sector at the National Histadrut, noted:
"This agreement is the result of leadership and professional work. We have brought significant economic news to the drivers, placing them at the forefront of conditions in the public transport sector."
Mahdi Aton, Chairman of the Kavim Workers' Committee, concluded:
"This is a moment of great pride. Our drivers work day and night, and they deserve the best compensation. We will continue to protect your rights at all times."
