Israeli workers on strike at Ben-Gurion airport

The Israeli Ben-Gurion Airport employee union announced Thursday that it would be striking on Friday evening to Saturday evening in protest of the Airports Authority's refusal to directly employ workers in place of hiring them on a contract basis.

Contract workers receive fewer benefits than directly employed workers.

The union decided to take organizational steps after negotiations to limit hiring of contract workers reached a dead end.

The Airports Authority management called a special meeting to discuss the announcement by the union. Some 30,000 passengers on 200 flights are expected to pass through the airport during the stint.