Israeli Nurses Union Declares Nationwide Labor Dispute Over Work Conditions and Staffing

The Israeli Nurses Union announced a comprehensive labor dispute on Thursday affecting approximately 60,000 healthcare workers across hospitals, clinics, maternal care centers, nursing schools, and other medical institutions. The move responds to increasing workloads, severe physical and mental burnout, and the government's refusal to improve working conditions. The dispute covers major hospitals including Hadassah, Shaare Zedek, Bnei Zion, Assuta, and Mayanei Hayeshua, as well as government health agencies and the country's largest health funds.

Union representatives highlight the continuous rise in workload without adequate systemic support, leading to deteriorating care quality and unsafe staff-to-patient ratios. They also cite shortages in infrastructure, hospital beds, and professional staff, alongside restrictions that hinder new hiring. Nurses protest the replacement of professional surgical nurses with unqualified technical staff and oppose the unilateral privatization plans for student health services, which threaten their rights and conditions.

Saul Skiff, Chair of the Israeli Nurses Union, emphasized the critical timing amid the healthcare system's unprecedented challenges in treating thousands of war-related casualties. He criticized the government and employers for ignoring the growing crisis and pledged to use all available means to protect nurses' rights and ensure the healthcare system can provide safe, professional care now and in the future.