Warning strike in all Clalit hospitals and clinics "want to prevent the fund's takeover"

(haipo) Clalit Health Services employees began a 17-hour warning strike this morning (Thursday, 7/25/24). The shutdown includes the fund's clinics across the country and only limited activity at Clalit's hospitals. The reason: a strong protest against the Ministry of Health's attempt to "take control of the fund and strike at its administrative independence," as defined by the workers' committee.

The unusual move comes after the Health Ministry's decision to establish an investigation committee to examine the conduct of Clalit's senior management, a decision that was deemed unacceptable by the workers' committee, which sees it as a dangerous political step that will harm the fund's status and thousands of its employees. "This is a death blow to Clalit's managerial independence," the national committee said. "We will not remain silent when they try to issue decrees under the guise of a professional investigation. This strike is the first step in a struggle that we are prepared to wage to the end."

Chairman of the National Committee, Prosper Ben Hamo, sent a letter to employees explaining the reasons for the exceptional step: "We have decided to immediately launch a fight against the attempt by external parties to cut and harm our wages, stop the absorption of additional employees, carry out layoffs, reduce manpower, block our excellent employees from advancing and parachute people from outside in their place and supposedly streamline," he wrote.

"As a first and necessary step, we have decided to declare a 24-hour warning strike in all districts, clinics, hospitals and sectors of Clalit Health Services."

Medical service – significantly affected

During the strike, all Clalit Health Services clinics are completely shut down, and the hospitals (such as Carmel, Ha'Emek, Soroka, Meir, and others) operate in an emergency mode only - emergency treatments only, without planned surgeries or routine activities.