The Knesset last night approved raising the minimum monthly salary in three installments to NIS 5,000. The minimum monthly salary will rise on April 1 to NIS 4,650 and then to NIS 4,825 in July and 2016, and finally to NIS 5,000 in January 2017.
Earlier this month, Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein ruled that it was permissible to anchor the minimum salary hike in law, even during the run-up to elections, as agreed between the Histadrut (General Federation of Labor in Israel), the employers, and government representatives.
Histadrut chairman Avi Nissenkorn said, "As a representative of 700,000 workers in Israel who were crying out over the situation, this evening we welcome this accomplishment. We are talking about a very major hike in the minimum wage and great news for a quarter of the country's work force. We have achieved an important step in our mission of reducing the gaps in Israeli society. There are many other injustices that must be righted and the Histadrut will continue to stand in the forefront of the social struggle and work for justice."
Zionist Camp chairman Isaac Herzog said, "This is a vital social step. Israeli citizens deserve to earn a decent living and live in dignity. I'm happy that Netanyahu came to his senses and decided to cooperate at least once before the end of his term of office and not once again punish Israeli citizens for the sake of survival." <
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on January 22, 2015
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