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Doctors protest in Haifa
Photo: Dana Yossefi
Dr. Leonid Eidelman
Photo: Noam Moskowitz
Doctors protest Tel Aviv
Photo: Motti Kimchi

Doctors review contract drafted by Treasury

Contract to gradually increase salaries, shorten hours and add 1,000 doctor positions; Medical Association willing to sign but doctors protest nationwide

Representatives of the Israel Medical Association gathered Wednesday to review the agreement terms drafted by the Finance Ministry, signaling that the longtime labor dispute might be coming to an end.

 

Increased salaries and shorter hours are among the terms in the draft agreement that aim to improve the doctors' employment conditions. The average doctor's salary is expected to rise by 49% while the basic salary is set to increase by 32% not including benefits.

 

The doctors' wages in the periphery will reportedly increase even more than the wages of doctors in the center of Israel.

 

The gradual reform is expected to cost the Finance Ministry an additional NIS 2.6 billion ($727 million) a year. 

 

After a 9-day marathon of negotiations between the doctors and the treasury, the IMA authorized Chairman Leonid Eidelman to sign a contract that he sees fit.

 

Doctors protest in Haifa (Photo: Dana Yossefi)
Doctors protest in Haifa (Photo: Dana Yossefi)
 

Representatives of the IMA who have gathered to review the draft have expressed willingness to sign the contract, but medical interns around the country have staged protests against the move, claiming that the IMA has no authority to end the strike that has been going on for the past 157 days.

 

The developing contract will be in effect for the next nine years, and will apply retroactively from July 2010, when the previous contract expired.

 

As per the agreement, 1,000 additional doctor positions will be gradually added in the coming years. The contract also calls for the doctors to punch a time clock – a bone of contention in the struggle – but allows for an eventual replacement of the clocks with another attendance recording system.

 

The percentage of the raises that the doctors are to be granted has not been made public yet, but it was reported that doctors in the periphery and those who specialize in areas where there is a shortage will receive higher salary increases. Moreover, the contract opened a new pay grade and allowed for new opportunities for promotion.

 

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 08.24.11, 15:42
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