Not so green: New government plan shuts down fare promotion paths

The Histadrut’s Israel Union of Government Employees (IUGE) has raised strong objections to a government-backed reform introducing a “Green Track” designed to encourage mobility among senior officials across ministries. The plan, in its current form, will significantly harm promotion prospects for the majority of civil servants.

Attorney Ofir Alcalay, Chair of the Israel Union of Government Employees (IUGE), has formally requested an urgent discussion with Civil Service Commissioner Prof. Daniel Hershkowitz. In his letter, Alcalay warned that the new implementation guidelines “embody a substantial blow to the advancement opportunities of state employees for a wide range of positions” and were adopted “in violation of prior understandings between the parties.”

Sidelining the many for the few

The reform seeks to limit the tenure of senior civil servants, those in high-paying, key roles such as district directors or positions reporting directly to ministry directors-general, to six to eight years. Starting from their fourth year, these officials would receive a “Green Track” designation, granting them preferential status in competitions for equivalent positions across government ministries.

This mechanism will effectively sideline other qualified employees from advancing to senior roles. Many top positions will no longer be publicly advertised but instead filled through internal selection committees from a small pool of “Green Track” eligible candidates. “The absence of open and transparent publication undermines the principle of transparency and public trust in fair and equal appointment processes,” Alcalay stated.

Safeguarding merit and equality of opportunity

The Histadrut demands the immediate halting of the implementation of the reform until full dialogue with employee representatives has taken place. Calling for any changes to be made “with consent, transparency, and in strict adherence to collective agreements.” Alcalay emphasised that excluding the union from the decision-making process violates core labour relations principles: “Changing the promotion system as proposed will, in practice, block career paths for most employees and strip professional development opportunities within the civil service of their meaning.”

The Histadrut is committed to ensuring that any reform or new practices do not erode equality of opportunity and fair, transparent promotion processes in the public sector. Balancing mobility and efficiency for senior officials is fundamental to promoting innovation and strong leadership, but it cannot come at the expense of equal opportunity and fair career advancement, which are the cornerstones of an accountable, merit-based, and inclusive public service.

Information for this article was taken from Davar.