The Histadrut announced yesterday that health care workers in the Clalit health fund’s Jerusalem clinics will strike starting Sunday. “In light of the unilateral and aggressive conduct of Clalit’s Jerusalem District management, and after calls for dialogue were ignored, the Histadrut in the Jerusalem area will be forced to shut down approximately 460 clinics in the district,” the Histadrut announced.
After a year of efforts by the Histadrut to reach understandings with Clalit management in the Jerusalem District—including repeated requests for recognition of the local union—the Histadrut declared a labor dispute due to the management’s disregard. “Throughout this entire period, Clalit’s Jerusalem district management chose to act in a unilateral and aggressive manner, harming workers’ rights and, consequently, the quality of medical services provided to local residents,” the Histadrut’s statement read.
Leah Ben-Hamo, who leads the Clalit workers union in the Jerusalem district, noted that the union had tried for a year to engage in dialogue with management. “Management chose to ignore us,” she said. “We stand united for our rights, our conditions, and for public service. It’s time management understands: without the workers—there is no Clalit.”
Danny Bonfil, chair of the Histadrut’s Jerusalem district, called on Calit management to return to the negotiating table. While expressing regret at having reached this point, he said, “We will not allow disrespect toward those who dedicate their lives to public care.”
“We will not allow harm to be done to our dedicated workers—secretaries, nurses, paramedical staff, maintenance workers, pharmacists, radiology technicians, and others—who provide essential services to hundreds of thousands of citizens,” he continued, describing the workers as “the beating heart of the community health care system.”
