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100 senior doctors and ward managers at large hospitals in central Israel today submitted their letters of resignation, which will come into effect in one month. Most of the doctors are affiliated with a new union, the Association of Hospital Doctors, which is competing against the Israel Medical Association. The doctors oppose the nine-year agreement that the Medical Association signed with the Ministry of Finance and its requirement that the doctors, for the first time, punch time clocks.
Most of the resigning doctors work at Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov Hospital) in Tel Aviv, Sheba Medical Center Tel Hashomer, just outside the city, and at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa. Work at hospitals in the periphery is continuing as usual.
The resigning doctors are trying to increase the pressure on the government to change the collective agreement, and sourced doubt that most of them will go through with their resignations, mainly because they earn tens of thousands of shekels a month in private practice and insurance reimbursements on the basis of their senior positions at public hospitals.
In a statement, the doctors said, "We have no choice but to put the responsibility for dealing with us on the health minister and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu." Netanyahu also holds the health portfolio.
Meanwhile, 100-300 medical residents, did not turn up for work this morning. Most of the residents are staying away for 2-4 hours. They mostly work at hospitals in central Israel, where they have support from the new union, the Association of Hospital Doctors.
In a statement, the residents said, "We won't be the next slaves of the public health system. The bad agreement imposed by the Medical Association on the doctors gives us, the residents, a future of dirty work in 26-hour shifts during which we must make life-and-death decisions. Given the personal and family price paid by the doctors, combined with work conditions that harm patients, is it worthwhile to be a doctor in Israel? The answer is an unequivocal no."
Since yesterday, 250-300 residents, out of 4,500 residents nationwide, have not turned up for work.
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