Chairman Leonid Idelman of the Israel Medical Federation sent a letter, on Sunday, to Ilan Levin, Director of Wages at the Finance Ministry, in which he claimed that the Treasury was constantly changing its position regarding mediation which, Idelman said, was the stumbling block to negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement. The doctors are implementing more sanctions this week to back up their demand for a new wage package, more beds for the nation's hospitals and more positions in peripheral areas.
In his letter, Doctor Idelman accused the ministry of not negotiating in good faith and demanded that the Treasury express its unequivocal position in writing. He added that the Finance Ministry was using the same delaying tactics it used eight years ago, when negotiations led to mediation.