The story is that until now the airport has been totally "ex-territorial" about municipal taxes. It is a major moneyspinner. The municipalities nearby are not well off and get most of their income from businesses. They have felt for many years that the airport should be giving them a proportion of their massive profits. For Aryeh Deri this great, as he can be seen as the "great saviour of Lod" and thereby get more votes in the municipal elections all over the country. However the government position has been (until now) that the airport runs itself, takes nothing from the nearby towns, and therefore owes them nothing. The strike is over the plan to set up a committee to investigate the matter ...