At today's press conference by the Ministry of Finance in response to the resignation of hundreds of medical residents, Minister of Finance Yuval Steinitz hinted that the ministry would draft IDF and Israel Police doctors to replace the residents at hospitals.
Budget Director Gal Hershkowitz promised to provide all the money needed to reinforce operations at hospitals where residents resigned, implying that the ministry will let the residents quit and would hire new doctors to replace them.
Steinitz said, "In a properly functioning country, a nation of laws, a nation where labor relations are based on honoring agreements and the rule of law, such a thing should end. Yet we are facing a crisis by the residents. It's natural that one group or another might not agree or accept an agreement. I call on the doctors and residents who accepted the agreement [between the Ministry of Finance and the Israel Medical Association], which grants large pay hikes. It is wrong to harm patients in Israel; disagreements are possible over anything. Every mid-level doctor earns more than the prime minister, and that does not include private income."
The Ministry of Finance has already asked the Labor Court for injunctions ordering the residents back to work. Ministry of Health director general Prof. Ronny Gamzo has not yet decided whether to exercise his authority under emergency regulations to issue back-to-work orders for some doctors. Such orders can also apply to doctors who have resigned, if they are critical workers.
The Attorney General has already approved an injunction in principle. The court will convene at 5 pm to hear arguments.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 10, 2011
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