10,000 social workers to strike over low pay

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=210892

By RUTH EGLASH
03/05/2011 19:41

"We don’t want to hurt the weakest populations in Israel’s society, the clients of welfare services, but we now have no choice,” union head says.

More than 10,000 social workers from the public sector were slated to begin an openended strike starting on Sunday over the government’s failure to meet their demands for increased pay and improved work conditions.

“The fate of hundreds of children at risk, elderly people, the disabled and the sick will now be the responsibility of the Israeli government and the Finance Minister,” Itzhik Perry, head of the Social Workers Union, said in a statement on Saturday night after last-minute attempts to avoid a strike failed. “We don’t want to hurt the weakest populations in Israel’s society, the clients of the welfare services, but we now have no choice.”

Negotiations between the social workers and the Treasury have been going on for more than six months, with the recently appointed Minister of Welfare and Social Services Moshe Kahlon stepping in Friday to negotiate with Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz on their behalf. As yet, the talks have yielded no results.

A statement from the Finance Ministry released on Saturday night discounted many of the social workers’ claims and outlined the package that had been offered to the union, showing that most would benefit from a NIS 1,000 monthly addition to their salaries.

“The bottom line is that the offer made by the state is fair and does justice to those earning low salaries,” the ministry’s statement read. “It is a shame that this battle is presented as one for those earning a low wage, when in the negotiating room the demands are quite opposite.”

FULL story at link.

[pacalo]

1. It seems like all those rising up to fend off the predators have jobs that do the most good

for society. I'm in such awe of their character that sustains such persistence & determination. They're all in my prayers.

[FreakinDJ]

2. The stories I could tell about our Developemently Disabled's Teachers

Few Brakes if any - low pay - no benefits