District court mediates end to paramedical workers’ strike

The strike that began Sunday by 5,000 public health paramedical workers – physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and others – has ended.

The Tel Aviv Labor Court’s judge Ofira Dagan-Tochtamer accepted the position of the Histadrut that the state and Clalit Health Services were dragging their feet during the negotiations to resolve the shortage of manpower slots and the problem of contractual workers.

The sides to the dispute will conduct intensive negotiations until June 21 under the auspices of the court, with the aim of reaching agreements to resolve the crisis. It was therefore agreed that the workers would return immediately to work, the General Labor Federation said.

During the hearing, the judge expressed solidarity with the workers’ struggle and their distress and chose not to issue injunctions against the strike, but instead to sponsor the discussions between the parties. She allowed the workers to again hold a three-day warning strike if the parties do not reach agreements within the defined time frame.

Eli Gabai, chairman of the paramedical workers union, said: “I welcome the position of the court, which justified our struggle. In the near future, we will conduct real, honest and practical negotiations for the benefit of health professionals and patients.”