The nurses' strike entered its 14th day today, with negotiations between the Nurses Union and the negotiations, ordered by the National Labor Court Ministry of Finance set to resume this afternoon. Public hospitals will continue to operate on Saturday schedules, and non-urgent treatments and surgeries will be postponed. Nurses at Clalit Health Services will operate normally.
Unless the parties reach understandings, they will meet at the office of National Labor Court President Nili Arad to discuss an injunction against the nurses. On Thursday evening, the court decided to allow the nurses to continue the strike while negotiations continue.
Judge Arad told the parties to conduct intensive negotiations and to meet her on Sunday evening to report on progress in the talks. If there is no breakthrough, the Ministry of Finance reserves the right to call for a hearing on its appeal to overturn the decision by the Tel Aviv District Labor Court against issuing an injunction.
Arad, as in previous cases, tried to mediate between the parties to bring the strike to a quick end. However, the differences between the parties are still wide: the nurses are demanding a 15% pay raise spread over three years, which will cost NIS 700 million; while the Ministry of Finance is offering a much smaller pay hike, spread over four years, which will cost NIS 450 million.
In its appeal, the Ministry of Finance says that Tel Aviv District Labor Court Judge Efrat Laxer was wrong when she said that the ministry, by promising in September to open talks with the nurses on a new contract, surrendered the period of industrial quiet agreed upon by the Nurses Union through the end of 2012.
The Ministry of Finance warns, "Upholding the decision causes the public great harm… In this context, it is also necessary to mention the damage caused to the public by pressuring the government on the eve of elections. To respond to substantial budget demands with far-reaching long-term consequences, is liable to harm the next government's ability to decide on priorities on the basis of a broad perspective of needs and restraints, and in the absence of an approved annual budget."
The Ministry of Finance argues that, two weeks ago, the nurse rejected a very generous offer, which would have raised the gross monthly salary of hospital nurses by NIS 700-900 after four years. The ministry estimates the cost of this pay hike at NIS 800-900 million.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 16, 2012
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