Medical interns threaten to quit if 26-hour shifts not shortened

Medical interns have signed letters of resignation that will go into effect on Thursday if the government doesn’t sign off on agreement to improve their work conditions.

The Mirsham organization of medical interns said in a statement that as many as 2,300 medical interns will resign if demands to shorten their 26-hour-long shifts are not met. According to Channel 13, however, just dozens have threatened to resign.

Mirsham has been in talks with officials from the Health Ministry and Economy Ministry, asking that their shifts be shortened to 18 hours.

However, gaps remain in the negotiations, with the current proposal being offered by the government only offering shortened shifts to 10 percent of the workers. Mirsham is demanding that 25% of interns receive shortened shifts, according to Hebrew media.

“We will not be willing to accept such a ‘fake compromise’ that leaves 90% of interns continuing to do 26-hour slave shifts,” the group said in a statement.

“If no new outline complying with this [basic] request along with the matters already agreed upon is submitted, we will have to submit the resignation letters this coming Thursday. The responsibility for resolving the crisis is in the hands of the health and economy ministers,” Mirsham said.

Ten interns were arrested during a protest of roughly 500 outside the Tel Aviv home of Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz on Monday evening.