Employees strike
Foreign Ministry workers' strike over after 4 weeks
Bonus package, 4.5% differential salary increase, plus special bonus for diplomats serving abroad, all part of deal which ended strike. German Chancellor's visit set to go ahead on schedule as workers get back to work
After four weeks of disruptions, strikes and protests – the Foreign Ministry employees committee has put an end to the diplomats' strike.
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The committee announced Monday that the strike was over after an agreement had been reached which would see employees receiving a 3% bonus for excellence and a differential salary increase of 4.5%, in addition to the increase stipulated in the public sector salary agreement. They will also receive a one time NIS 3,000 ($826.25) bonus.
A bonus will also be given to diplomats serving abroad. A minimum of 6% of previous travel and travel accumulated from the time the agreement was signed and up to 15% in accordance with the level of difficulty of the destination country was also allocated within the framework of the agreement.
The agreement was signed for a period of three years and adopts the public sector salary deal which was signed between the Histadrut and the State in 2010.
Chairman of the Professional Union Department in the Histadrut Avi Nisankorn said: "The Foreign Ministry employees stand at the forefront of the international stage and as representatives of Israel carrying out essential work, they are entitled to fair and suitable salary provisions.
"Among other things, the agreement creates incentives for employees to take on positions in difficult countries and to serve with excellence. This is an important step in strengthening and promoting the Foreign Service in Israel."
The employees are set to resume work immediately. The visit of Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to go ahead as planned in spite of previous concerns.
On Sunday, the employees stated that due to the strike, Israeli diplomats would not help distribute the Turkel Committee findings in foreign countries. And yet, the committee noted that the ministry employees wouldn't disrupt efforts taken by other Israeli sources to publish the findings in foreign countries.
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