Employees of Bituach Leumi (National Insurance Institute) are threatening to launch a strike on Sunday if issues are not resolved in a satisfactory manner. Labor representatives announced following a meeting on Monday that if there is no solution on the horizon by the end of the day Thursday, they will begin an open-ended general strike on Sunday.

For the past two days, employees have been implementing work sanctions, intentionally disrupting the usual operational status of the agency, explaining they are not receiving a pay increase that was promised to them in the past. As such, they are refusing to begin using a new software program, a program that deals with permitting authorized access into the medical files of applicants.

Representatives explain that an agreement was reached a number of months ago, but Bituach Leumi management refuses to sign, warning if the document is not signed by Thursday; the nation can expect all of the agency’s offices around the country to close their doors.

Bituach Leumi officials are calling on labor representatives to return to the negotiating table rather than to threaten a major strike action.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)