On March 1st the Equal Pay Project is holding a conference in collaboration with the Israel Manufacturers Association, an important step in engaging employers to assume increased responsibility for proactively working toward equal wages.
The conference will host senior human resources professionals from Israel’s largest companies. They will see a presentation of the project’s new online equal pay tool, which helps companies assess wage gaps in their organizations. The project will soon publish a guide for employers on implementing organizational processes to equalize wages..
On February 23rd project staff participated in a conference with senior officials from the Ministry of Finance on gender mainstreaming in economic policies, another step in the project’s effective engagement of policymakers and professionals in government offices.
Equality in Health Services
On March 2 Shatil and its partners will hold the Galilee Conference for Equality in Health. Candidates will be asked to present their views on how Israel can best close the health gaps between the center and the periphery.
2015 Elections: Choose an Education for Shared Living
On February 16th Shatil and its partners will host a conference on an education for shared living. Come hear what the leading political candidates have to say on the topic.
For more information and to register click here
The second cycle of a joint course on racism and Judaism, led by Shatil and Neve Schechter – the Legacy Heritage Center for Jewish Culture in Tel Aviv, is now underway. The course will cover the overall background and manifestations of racism in contemporary Israel, while highlighting Jewish texts that can serve in the struggle against racism.
Many Israelis feel that the 19th Knesset’s abbreviated term obstructed any attempt to promote significant legislative reform. However, just before they adjourned for the upcoming elections, MKs approved the first reading of two important bills initiated by the Shatil coordinated Public Housing Forum. The two Bills were approved by the outgoing government’s legislation committee on National Housing Day, recently organized by the Forum. They set standards ensuring the transparency of the decisions made by housing companies and require the government to provide funding to those waiting for public housing solutions in an amount equal to rental payment for equivalent apartments. This decision ensures that the next Knesset will be able to continue the legislative process immediately upon convening and that public housing candidates will not endure additional delays.
The upcoming elections provided reason for concern for many of the Knesset Cafeteria’s subcontracted employees, who feared management would lay them off during the election recess in order to cut back on expenses. However, thanks to a concerted and coordinated effort on the part of Shatil staff and the Direct Employment Coalition, Cafeteria workers need no longer worry. Pressure on the Knesset’s Director General by Shatil’s lobbying team persuaded the Knesset to announce that it would enforce a clause providing additional compensation to the Cafeteria operator for not laying off workers during Knesset recesses. Concurrently, the Coalition is continuing to bolster its work in the field and recently held a conference bringing together subcontracted workers unions so that they may promote their goals mutually.
Photo: Knesset discussion on subcontracted workers
We’re all equal – we’re all one team
“We’re all equal – we’re all one team” – this is the name of a new partnership between the IFA and the NIF, which is being run by Kick Racism Out of Israeli Football. The project includes players from all the Israeli national teams – men, women, and youth – under the banner of equality. Football is a universal language, which doesn’t distinguish between religion, race, gender, or color – we’re all equal on and off the field, in the stands, in schools, and on the streets.
NIF and the IFA are working together on important social projects aimed at eradicating racism and violence from the football pitch using positive education and by involving football fans and youth divisions. The IFA sees great importance in the involvement of current and former players in this project, as this example of fraternity and social action needs to be replicated throughout Israeli society.
