Social Workers Shout Out/ By Ben Menashe, Tom Hope, 1/9/2020

The social workers crisis in Israel intensified in July 2020, following the Covid-19 outbreak. Social Workers were protesting the conditions of employment, especially the low wages and violence they are exposed to.

As the main media channels reported, the protesters (the social workers) held strikes to get the attention they deserve. They demonstrated at junctions and stopped the traffic. Big organizations joined their campaign to support and encourage them, and as Walla News reported on 9.7.2020, 140 mayors wrote a letter in their support to the Minister of Finance.

We interviewed two social workers who live in Hof Ashkelon Regional Council, to find out their opinions about the working conditions.

Rotem Ben Dov, a Social Worker for the past 20 years: “I do not see myself continuing in the public service under these conditions. I really like doing meaningful things for people, but the personal price is so high.”

Merav Lotan, also an experienced social worker who accompanies prisoners agrees with Rotem: “Our work draws endless energy, it is impossible for a caregiver to bear such a heavy and complex burden, and in the end you earn a meager and low salary.”

On 22.7.20, following 17 days of demonstrations and the attention on media, the social workers' wages were finally raised after the long strike.

The photo was taken by the social workers' organization.