Partner Shay Teken was appointed to the Histradrut’s (General Federation of Labor in Israel) negotiating team, alongside Avi Nissenkorn, Histradrut Chairman, for negotiations with the Minister of Finance and representatives of the Finance Ministry, which resulted in a historic new public sector wage agreement.
The agreement was reached after marathon negotiations lasting into the night. The conclusion of an agreement removed the threat of a public sector general strike scheduled to begin on December 23, 2015.
The agreement sets a precedent, helping to reduce economic disparities and advance vulnerable sectors of the population, working parents and part-time employees engaged in the public sector. The main parts of the agreement include:
- A 7.5% pay increase for public sector workers, granted in 5 installments by the end of 2018, at least half of which will be awarded differentially (i.e. those with lower salaries will be awarded greater increases).
- A NIS 2,000 grant to all employees, including those with individual contracts.
- The number of employees engaged on individual contracts at public authorities will be restricted to only 5% of the workforce.
- A shortening of the work day, by one hour, for working parents in the civil service. This reduction of working hours will apply for two weeks during August, in order to give parents some relief during the summer school holidays.
- Employees working in supporting medical professions will receive an additional wage increase of 7.5%, in addition to the increase that the rest of employees within the public sector will be receiving, equalling to 15% in total.
- The hourly wage for students working in the public sector will be one Shekel higher than the hourly minimum wage customarily awarded in the market.
- Female contractors will receive a wage increase of 10%, in addition to the increase awarded to all employees.
