The Knesset Finance Committee today froze salaries of senior public sector officials, a day after the Knesset House Committee froze the salaries of MKs. The wage freeze applies to, among others, President Shimon Peres, State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss, Governor of the Bank of Israel Prof. Stanley Fischer, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, all cabinet ministers, and Supreme Court judges.
The salary freeze means that the 3% pay hike, based on the average national salary, which was due to come into effect in January, will not be paid. The salary freeze applies only to 2009.
The salary freeze means that ministers, Fischer, and Lindenstrauss will have to forego a NIS 1,000 increase to the their NIS 36,000 gross monthly salaries. Olmert will have to forego a NIS 1,200 increase to his NIS 41,000 salary, Peres will forego a NIS 1,400 increase to his NIS 47,000 salary, and the Supreme Court judges will forego a forego a NIS 1,600 increase to their NIS 55,000 salary.
Ministry of Finance Director of Wages Ilan Levin told the Finance Committee, "The salary freeze supplements the salary freeze of MKs and sets a personal example that a country's leaders should set at a time when employers are firing staff."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 24, 2008
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