Defense Ministry Director General Files Rare Complaint Against Employees' Committee Chairman
Translated & summarized from Calcalist by baba
Ministry of Defense Director General Amir Baram filed a rare complaint against Employees' Committee Chairman Sasson Peretz for alleged improper and threatening behavior towards staff. The complaint follows an ongoing dispute over senior appointments and a reform of the Rehabilitation Division. Peretz denies the allegations, accusing management of violating labor agreements and attempting to undermine organized labor. The Histadrut supports Peretz, representing about 2,300 ministry employees.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Defense Ministry Director General Amir Baram filed a rare complaint against Employees' Committee Chairman Sasson Peretz.
- Baram accused Peretz of improper conduct, including threats and intimidation towards ministry employees.
- The complaint is part of an ongoing dispute over senior appointments and a reform of the Rehabilitation Division.
- Peretz denied the allegations, accusing management of violating labor agreements and undermining organized labor.
- The Histadrut supports Peretz and the committee, which represents approximately 2,300 ministry employees.
Director General of the Ministry of Defense Amir Baram has filed an exceptionally rare complaint against Sasson Peretz, the chairman of the ministry's employees' committee. Baram reported Peretz's alleged "improper conduct" to Histadrut Chairman Arnon Bar-David and Civil Service Commissioner Doron Cohen, citing a recent incident. Baram stated that this latest event is part of a pattern of repeated behavior by Peretz, who he claims displays a dismissive and threatening attitude towards ministry employees and managers.
The complaint comes amid an ongoing dispute between the employees' committee and the ministry's management, led by Baram. The conflict centers on the staffing of senior positions and a reform of the Rehabilitation Division, which aims to transform it into a national rehabilitation authority based on recommendations from a professional committee headed by Professor Shlomo Mor-Yosef.
In his complaint, Baram detailed that Peretz allegedly raised his voice and threatened both senior and junior employees, sometimes approaching them physically in a manner that caused significant fear and discomfort. Some employees have requested anonymity due to concerns about potential repercussions from Peretz, both now and in the future.
Baram also issued a message to ministry employees, asserting that no organizational dispute legitimizes the committee chairman's conduct, which he described as intimidating and aimed at deterring employees and managers from performing their duties, including threats of public shaming. Peretz, however, countered that the ministry's management is violating long-standing labor agreements by altering criteria for senior appointments and attempting to bypass the union. He accused Baram of trying to tarnish the committee's reputation and stated that the Histadrut supports the committee, which represents approximately 2,300 employees. Peretz claimed Baram's complaints were a response to a video the committee distributed, warning managers against instructing employees to violate committee directives during labor disputes.