Israel employment services offices have launched an open-ended strike today, Tuesday, January 24, 2012, shutting down all services. The strike surrounds objections to a plan by the Ministry of Industry & Trade to open new offices and hire outside contractors to run them instead of hiring additional employees.

As a result of the strike, telephones will not be answered and there will be no office hours for the general public to assist those seeking employment or unemployment benefits.

Unlike strike protocol in the United States for example, while striking employees have shut the doors to the general public, they do sign in and as such, receive their salaries while striking, the best of both worlds.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)