Political officials said in a conversation with Sarogi, that in preparation for the passage of the budget, in which horizontal cuts are expected, the Ministry of Finance is pressuring Finance Minister Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gabir to cancel Resolution S/33, which ensures that the salaries of police officers and prison guards are linked to the salaries of permanent IDF officers. To.
Resolution S/33 was passed in 1979 and created an exclusive anchor for the salary conditions of the police officers and prison guards who, like the permanent employees, were deprived of the right to organize as well as the rights inherent in it, such as a strike, appointment of a workers’ committee, and more. These rights are granted to every employee in order to obtain economic rights within the framework of a collective agreement, but were denied by legislation from police officers and prison guards, and in exchange for this they were guaranteed a link of the salary to the salary of permanent employees in the IDF which is protected by the Chief of Staff and the Minister of Defense.
Officials at the Ministry of Finance confirmed to Srogim that horizontal cuts are indeed being planned at the Ministry of Internal Security. When, according to the estimates, the linking of the security personnel’s pension to the IDF retirees costs the state approximately 15 billion shekels per year.
In a message distributed this morning by the Wardens and Retired Police Forum to police officers, retired police officers, superintendents and former superintendents, members of the Knesset and various groups on the Internet, it is written: “We will not allow the treasury officials to leave the salaries of the police officers and guards in the hands of a minister or an occasional “commissioner, without guaranteeing the continuation of attachment to the single body That the Ministry of Finance cannot engineer – the IDF. We have all experienced the unreliability and lies of the Treasury officials throughout the years.’
“Any additional budget that is promised to the Minister or the Commissioner, in exchange for waiving the linkage, will be later nibbled by horizontal cuts and exercises that will reduce the costs of the additions,” they add. At the end of the message, they turn to the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gabir, and write, “We trust you not to allow such a move and to continue your just and determined fight to save the police, also by raising the salaries of police officers and prison guards, without prejudice to Resolution Q/33.”
Political officials told Sarogam that in light of the murky relationship between Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai and Ben Gvir, the one who manages matters is Minister Ben Gvir, the Director General of the Ministry and the Minister’s advisor Hanmal Dorfman without representatives from the police who know the issue in depth and there are those in the police who fear that the Ministry of Finance will succeed Convince Ben Gabvir to rescind Resolution 33 in exchange for raising the salaries of the police officers: “There is a disconnect between Commissioner Ben Gabvir’s environment and Ben Gabvir does not understand enough about the issue,” a political source told Sargoim.
Ofer Ashkuri, who is active in the fight for the police officers and retired police officers, said in a conversation with Srougi: “Every year the Treasury brings up the attempt to cancel Resolution S/33, but despite this, no one dared to touch the holy of holies, which is the attachment to the IDF. But when the Chief Minister is weak, the Minister is weak, and Finance Minister Smotrich is an extreme capitalist, it is possible that this time the Finance Ministry will succeed in canceling the decision.”
According to Ashkuri, “Smotrich is not interested in the police and workers’ rights, he is interested in the settlement” He warns that “if they cancel it, the damage to the Israel Police will be irreversible, it is the touch of an attack on the Israel Police, even so there is a manpower crisis and policemen do not want to enlist.” He explains that the meaning of canceling Q/33 is to create “a difference between the blood of the policemen who risk their lives on a daily basis and the soldiers who have the back of the Chief of Staff and the Minister of Defense”.
On behalf of the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, it was stated in response: “”The claim that the senior police officers are not present and informed about the negotiations is an incorrect claim. We will not respond to the other claims due to the fact that negotiations are currently underway.’