The Teachers Organization reached a written interim agreement with the Finance and Education ministries on Tuesday, organization Chairman Ran Erez announced to his organization after high school students went on strike that morning to protest teachers’ sanctions.
Among other things, the agreement allows for teachers to be paid advances on their pay raise while the parties continue to iron out the fine details and reach a final agreement as well as “stopping the sanctions for that time and getting things back to normal,” according to the letter Erez sent to the teachers.
“I would like to thank all those who devoutly kept to the instructions of the Teachers Organization and upheld the sanctions,” he added. “Only your determinedness and discipline enabled us to reach the agreement without strikes and without harming salaries and the education system.”
The National Students and Youth Council disagreed with Erez on the sanctions’ success.
“In the last year, the high school students suffered from the Teachers Organization’s sanctions, which included not returning grades and exams, which disrupted the learning process; canceling school trips that are part of the social education program; and canceling the trips to Poland and the Israel Tour, which help mold us as graduates of the education system and citizens of Israel,” said the council after the deal was announced.
“We welcome the end of the crisis and thank Education Minister Yoav Kisch for his personal involvement in reaching a solution. We look forward to finally having a continuous and meaningful school year with grades, report cards, school trips, Poland trips, and a complete educational program,” added council chairperson Sapir Mossafi.
What is in the new deal for high school teachers?
The new agreement guarantees a raise of NIS 1,500-2,400 for high school teachers, changes to the official vacation days, NIS 50 million to the Teachers Organization for welfare needs, canceling of all sanctions, and administrative quiet for the sake of signing a more detailed deal by the end of the year.
“I congratulate the Teachers Organization and the Finance Ministry for the interim agreement that was signed today,” said Kisch. “The sanctions and threats have been lifted, and the education system is going back to its regular routine.”