Israel’s healthcare system could face major disruptions after the Nurses Union declared a labor dispute. Under Israeli law, that means some 60,000 nurses nationwide could launch strikes and other organized actions in about two weeks if no agreement is reached with the Health and Finance ministries.
1+The union says it has been warning for years about a worsening shortage of nursing staff, alongside heavy workloads and ongoing burnout among nursing teams. According to the union, this reality doesn’t just hurt nurses’ working conditions—it also damages the quality of care patients receive.
Shaul Sakif, chairman of the Nurses Union, said that “nurses are on the front lines of the healthcare system and work with endless dedication, but we can’t keep working under conditions of chronic understaffing and unbearable workloads. Our fight is first and foremost for patients and for the future of the healthcare system.”
1+Sakif added that the union is calling on the Health and Finance ministries to sit down immediately for negotiations and develop solutions that will strengthen nursing staff, add positions, and improve working conditions—to prevent further damage to the healthcare system and patients.
If no breakthrough is reached in talks in the coming period, nurses are expected to take organized actions that could affect operations at hospitals, health funds, and medical facilities across the country.