JERUSALEM — Histadrut HaMaof delivered a letter to Israel's Minister for Social Equality and the Advancement of Women, May Golan, and other officials on Wednesday. The communication warned that halting state funding for municipal LGBTQ+ coordinators could lead to worker dismissals and service reductions.

Histadrut HaMaof, a branch of Israel's national labor federation representing municipal and public-sector administrative workers, demanded that the government suspend the funding cuts. The union called for negotiations with workers' representatives before any implementation.

The Social Equality Ministry previously allocated state funding to local authorities for LGBTQ+ programming. Municipal LGBTQ+ coordinators work within local authorities to develop community programs and connect residents with social services. Israeli local authorities depend on national government grants for social programs.

"The decision by the Ministry for Social Equality to stop funding LGBTQ+ coordinators in local authorities is a grave and unreasonable decision that could lead to the dismissal of dedicated workers and harm populations that need the services and assistance they provide," said Gil Bar-Tal, labor union chairman. "This is a move with deep social consequences, made without sufficient dialogue and with disregard for the heavy price that will be paid by the workers, the local authorities, and the public," he said.

"LGBTQ+ coordinators are not a luxury," Bar-Tal said, noting they are "an inseparable part of the community-service system in local authorities, and every day they provide support, guidance, and accompaniment to thousands of citizens." "At a complex social and economic time, the state should strengthen services like these," he said, noting that coordinator activities help mitigate risk and distress for teenagers and young adults. Bar-Tal called for the government and local authorities to reverse the funding decision and establish formal discussions with workers' representatives before enacting policy changes, stating, "Dedicated workers and the communities they serve must not become the victims of a mistaken and short-sighted decision."

No independent assessment of May Golan’s claims was available.