RELATED:Hundreds of social workers protest across the countryGeneral strike planned if social workers deal not reachedA Social Workers Union spokesman told The Jerusalem Post late Monday night that the gaps between the sides were still large.“There doesn’t seem to be a solution, and the strike will continue,” he wrote in a text message from the negotiating room.The talks began at the Histadrut labor federation headquarters in Tel Aviv on Monday evening, but were interrupted by a few dozen social workers who held a spontaneous and noisy protest – first outside the building, but eventually on the fifth floor, where the meeting was to take place.According to Tamar Shtekler, who was among the protesters, Social Workers Union chairman Itzik Perry exited the room and told them that he “heard the voices” of protest and that “the talks were complex and difficult.” Eventually, the protesters were asked to move to enable Deputy Finance Minister Yitzhak Cohen to enter the room so the negotiations could begin.Due to the demonstration, however, the talks were eventually relocated to the Finance Ministry offices in Tel Aviv, attended also by Histadrut chairman Ofer Eini, Histadrut Trade Union Department head Avi Nissenkorn, Finance Ministry wage director Ilan Levin and Welfare and Social Services Ministry Director-General Nachum Itzkovitz.In support of the social workers, the Union of Local Authorities plans to hold a one-day warning strike on Tuesday. Except for educational institutions and15 big cities, all municipal services – such as trash removal and public reception – will be put on hold.Union chairman Shlomo Buhbut said last week that his group was forced to join the strike since “social work is at the heart of the services we provide our residents,” and the municipalities were buckling under the pressure from residents who needed social services and were not receiving them due to the strike.Not all municipalities will take part in the strike, however. The Forum of 15, which unites 15 large cities – including Tel Aviv, Haifa, Beersheba, Netanya, Ra’anana and Herzliya – announced on Monday that it would not be joining the strike.A spokesman for the forum explained that since it believed the dispute would end in agreement in the next few days, it saw no need to hold a strike.
Local councils set to join social workers’ strike
Social workers, Finance Ministry struggle to reach agreement; educational institutions, 15 big cities not participating in strike.
RELATED:Hundreds of social workers protest across the countryGeneral strike planned if social workers deal not reachedA Social Workers Union spokesman told The Jerusalem Post late Monday night that the gaps between the sides were still large.“There doesn’t seem to be a solution, and the strike will continue,” he wrote in a text message from the negotiating room.The talks began at the Histadrut labor federation headquarters in Tel Aviv on Monday evening, but were interrupted by a few dozen social workers who held a spontaneous and noisy protest – first outside the building, but eventually on the fifth floor, where the meeting was to take place.According to Tamar Shtekler, who was among the protesters, Social Workers Union chairman Itzik Perry exited the room and told them that he “heard the voices” of protest and that “the talks were complex and difficult.” Eventually, the protesters were asked to move to enable Deputy Finance Minister Yitzhak Cohen to enter the room so the negotiations could begin.Due to the demonstration, however, the talks were eventually relocated to the Finance Ministry offices in Tel Aviv, attended also by Histadrut chairman Ofer Eini, Histadrut Trade Union Department head Avi Nissenkorn, Finance Ministry wage director Ilan Levin and Welfare and Social Services Ministry Director-General Nachum Itzkovitz.In support of the social workers, the Union of Local Authorities plans to hold a one-day warning strike on Tuesday. Except for educational institutions and15 big cities, all municipal services – such as trash removal and public reception – will be put on hold.Union chairman Shlomo Buhbut said last week that his group was forced to join the strike since “social work is at the heart of the services we provide our residents,” and the municipalities were buckling under the pressure from residents who needed social services and were not receiving them due to the strike.Not all municipalities will take part in the strike, however. The Forum of 15, which unites 15 large cities – including Tel Aviv, Haifa, Beersheba, Netanya, Ra’anana and Herzliya – announced on Monday that it would not be joining the strike.A spokesman for the forum explained that since it believed the dispute would end in agreement in the next few days, it saw no need to hold a strike.