The Histadrut to the Nakash brothers: We will not allow the sale of Arkia to a buyer who will stop flights on Shabbat

The Nakash brothers, who own the airline Arkia, are currently examining options for selling the company. According to reports, Haredi entities have also expressed a willingness to purchase Arkia and subsequently cease the company's flights on Shabbat. Because of this, the Histadrut, which represents Arkia employees organized under the Toat corporation (Aviation and Tourism), has appealed to the owners with a demand that the sale of the company be conditional upon the continuation of its operations on Shabbat.

The Histadrut relies on previous reports and does not specify a particular deal. "We will not allow the company to be turned into an ideological experiment," wrote the Deputy Chairman of the Transportation Workers Union at the Histadrut, Adv. Nir Eisenberg. According to him, any change in the company's operational format could harm Arkia's business model, its financial stability, and the livelihoods of hundreds of employees.

The Toat corporation holds 18.5% of Arkia, while the Nakash brothers hold the remaining shares. The sale of Arkia has been discussed for over a year, with the Nakash family having received offers so far that did not match the company's value. Now, as the controlling shareholders are examining several offers, the Toat corporation fears the cancellation of flights on Shabbat, as it is a stable and significant source of income for the company.