Collective agreement signed for firefighters: salary increases and protection for six years

After several years of negotiations, the Histadrut General Federation of Trade Unions, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of National Security and the firemen’s union Kabaut ve’Atzalah signed a new six-year collective agreement. The document provides for a large-scale update of the conditions of service for employees of the Israel Fire and Rescue Service – from novice rescuers to officers and staff of headquarters units.

The new agreement affects several key areas at once: the wage system, social guarantees, pensions, insurance protection and conditions of service, the Histadrut press service reports.

One of the main changes was the increase in wages for young employees. For new employees, the salary structure has been completely revised, resulting in a monthly increase in the base salary of several thousand shekels.

The income of employees of headquarters units will also increase significantly. Depending on the position, the monthly allowance will range from 700 to 2600 shekels. Separate payments are provided for employees of the “Generation B” category – they will receive an additional monthly payment of 450 to 550 shekels.

The agreement pays special attention to employees of the “Generation A” category. They are provided with improved pension conditions and severance pay, the amount of which can reach hundreds of thousands of shekels.

For the first time, at the level of a collective agreement, the procedure for transferring employees from shift work to a day schedule in cases where the cause is industrial injuries, illnesses or professional burnout is regulated in detail. In addition, the state will cover the costs of insuring workers in case of disability.

Another support measure will be one-time cash payments that all current employees will receive immediately after signing the new agreement.

The signing of the agreement coincided with a noticeable increase in funding for the Israel Fire and Rescue Service. Over the past year, the department’s budget has increased by 480 million shekels. Additional funds are planned to be used not only to improve the service conditions of personnel, but also to further technical equipment of the units. In particular, we are talking about the purchase of hundreds of ATVs, the acquisition of three new firefighting helicopters and the construction of modern fire stations.