Despite past objections, Netanyahu agrees to raise in minimum wage
Despite his past objections to the issue, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that he supports raising the minimum wage to NIS 5,000 a month.
At the beginning of the month, Histadrut Labor Union Chairman Avi Nissenkorn and Tzvika Oren, head of an umbrella group of industrialist employers, met and announced that they have reached an agreement regarding the union's demand to see Israel's dismal minimum wage raised by NIS 700, from NIS 4,300 to NIS 5,000
"This is great news for over 700,000 workers in Israel which helps fight inequality by incentivizing (the unemployed) to return to the job market," the prime minister said, claiming the move was a natural continuation of 2011 decision to raise minimum wage from NIS 3,700 to NIS 4,300. However, at the time, Netanyahu opposed the move, and it passed only under heavy threats of striking by the Histardut.
