Massive marches are planned today (Friday) and tomorrow for Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Nazareth and Rishon Lezion. Social protest movement leaders on Wednesday called on Prof. Manuel Trajtenberg to resign from the neo-liberal committee he was appointed to lead by the government, saying they do not have confidence the committee will find solutions to the social issues facing Israel, and the Knesset must return to session to handle the issue.
Last Saturday night march in Tel-Aviv for social justice, August 20 (Photo: Activestills)
Talkbacks ()The leaders of the social protest lashed out at the government-appointed committee tasked with resolving the social crisis, saying it was “cynical and deceptive”. Protest leaders announced the resumption of the campaign with large marches and rallies on Saturday night, as a prelude to the “march of a million” – a massive demonstration planned for the following Saturday, September 3.
Yesterday night, two demonstrations were held in Yeruham and Kfar Sava. For the past 25 years they have not demonstrated at Yeruham. The community is small: 9,000 people in all, but yesterday 1000 gathered at the commercial center of the town. In terms of the mass rallies in Tel Aviv it was a drop in the sea, but for the people of the Negev, who for years have unsuccessfully tried to make their voices heard, yesterday’s demonstration was proof that the reality in the area is complicated.
The tense security situation in the south appeared from two posters recalled the rockets and missiles. One of them read “The Negev wants more than soldiers,” and the other “Be’er Sheva Red Color Alert – We want social justice.” Also yesterday some 1,000 people hold a housing protest rally in Kfar Saba. Stav Shafir, one of the social protest’s organizers, told journalist that one of the things the rally was protesting was the government “indifference of the protest.”
More rallies were be held this weekend by Hadash and Communist Party of Israel activists in the Galilee and other localities. Today, a demonstration will be held at 12 am in Nazareth. Tomorrow, Saturday, demonstrations will be held at 12 am in Kufr Yasif (Western Galilee); 16:00 at Yuvalim junction (Central Galilee); and 17:00 at Ein-Ibrahim junction (Wadi ‘Ara) and at the same hour in the city of Qalansuwa.
Doctors’ strike ends
Yesterday evening, the Treasury and the doctors union have reached a new wage agreement, effectively ending the longest health system disruption Israel has ever known. After 158 days, strikes, protest marches and mass resignation, the parties were able to agree on a deal, which will add NIS 2.6 billion (roughly $720 million) to doctors’ wages and will significantly improve their employment conditions.
These include an additional NIS 2.5 billion to be spent on salaries, incentives and other benefits to the physicians, plus an additional 11 percent on incentive pay for working in the periphery and night and weekend shifts, grants, overtime and social benefits.
The doctors will receive an immediate 20% increase, while 70% of the cost of the agreement would be allocated over the next three years, with a mechanism to help protect the value of increases against inflation. Average doctors’ wages will increase by 49%, with the base pay to rise by 32% to which extra benefits would be added.
Doctors who work in fields in need of manpower will get significant increases, as will physicians working in the periphery. Residents and other young physicians will also get major boosts in salaries. In addition, the government has already committed itself to add 1,000 doctor slots to the system. Young physicians will do fewer shifts per month, and pay will be calculated according to a five-day, rather than the existing six-day week, with overtime. Senior physicians will work shifts in the hospitals until 11 p.m. a few times a month, rather than being on call from home.
Although over 1,000 residents and dozens of specialists signed and deposited letters of resignation almost three weeks ago, that would come into effect a week from now, it seems that despite a grinding of teeth, most of them will ask to take them back. Dozens of residents canceled their resignations even before the accord was signed, after they read the details in fine print.
