Move to end inequality in hospital employment

“There is no more legitimacy for some employees being more equal than others.”

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Cribs for newborn babies are seen through an window at a nursery in a hospital in Jerusalem, September 10, 2015. (photo credit: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun)
Cribs for newborn babies are seen through an window at a nursery in a hospital in Jerusalem, September 10, 2015.
(photo credit: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun)
The process of switching government hospital maintenance workers from outside employees to full fledged staff members continues.
On Monday, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, Health Minister Ya’acov Litzman and Histadrut chairman Avi Nissenkorn attended a hospital event marking the change following last year’s reaching of an “historic agreement.”
Assaf Harofeh Medical Center in Tzrifin was the first facility selected to lead implementation of the integration process. It did so by directly hiring 300 contracted workers as permanent members of the hospital staff. Other hospitals will soon adopt the same model.
“A normal society cannot live with the phenomenon that some workers receive a Rosh Hashana gift and others get nothing,” Kahlon said. “There is no more legitimacy for some employees being more equal than others.”
Litzman said changing hospital cleaners into civil servants gives an important social message “that will bring relief to hundreds of dedicated employees who are entitled to equal rights and conditions.”
Nissenkorn, who helped arrange the agreement, said: “Today, the state has received a gift, a huge step for promoting social equity. Absorption of the cleaning staff doing vital work is an important and symbolic step. We are committed to the inclusion all maintenance workers in government and municipal hospitals.”