SSTO rejects Bar-On's offer of 5% raise; strike continues

Ran Erez, head of the Secondary School Teachers' Organization, rejected on Wednesday evening a proposal from the Finance Ministry that would bring an end to the ongoing teachers strike, which will enter its 20th day on Thursday. Erez had earlier said that his organization would weigh Finance Minister Ronnie Bar-On's proposition. The offer includes the signing of a collective wage agreement, an additional 5 percent to teachers' wages over the course of the next 5 years and the promise of reform in the education system in the coming months. Teachers have demanded an immediate 15% raise in wages in exchange for a postponement of the reform process and additional duties.