Employees of Bituach Leumi (National Insurance Institute) are threatening to launch a strike on Sunday if issues are not resolved in a satisfactory manner. Labor representatives announced following a meeting on Monday that if there is no solution on the horizon by the end of the day Thursday, they will begin an open-ended general strike on Sunday.

For the past two days, employees have been implementing work sanctions, intentionally disrupting the usual operational status of the agency, explaining they are not receiving a pay increase that was promised to them in the past. As such, they are refusing to begin using a new software program, a program that deals with permitting authorized access into the medical files of applicants.

Representatives explain that an agreement was reached a number of months ago, but Bituach Leumi management refuses to sign, warning if the document is not signed by Thursday; the nation can expect all of the agency�s offices around the country to close their doors.

Bituach Leumi officials are calling on labor representatives to return to the negotiating table rather than to threaten a major strike action.

(Yechiel Spira � YWN Israel)