Nurses reach agreement with gov't to avert strike

Nurses threatening to strike called off their labor dispute after agreeing to the terms laid out during negotiations with government officials on Saturday night, Israel Radio reported.

The nurses agreed to the deal following rigorous negotiations with representatives from the Histadrut, the Finance Ministry, the Health Ministry and the Civil Service Commission.

The country's nurses were threatening to go on strike after the government failed to address their ongoing complaints about hospital overcrowding, and its negative impact on nurses' ability to work effectively.

In order to stave off the strike, the government agreed to provide financial incentives for nurses willing to work extra shifts during the busiest hours in the nation's hospitals. In addition, the government agreed to subsidize rent for nurses willing to move and work in hospitals that are short-staffed, according to Israel Radio.

To tackle the issue of overcrowding, the government agreed to add hospital beds to internal wards in Soroka University Medical Center in Beersheba, Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya and the Wolfson Medical Center in Holon.

In addition, the government will install 300 geriatric hospital beds in hospitals wards, according to the report.

Treasury officials and nurses will meet at noon Sunday to finalize the deal reached between the relevant parties.