The library building of a high school in central Israel

Israeli High School Strike Continues as Union Talks Break Down Again

Details
The Judean Staff
Politics

Israel's Teachers Union, representatives from the Finance Ministry, and Education Minister Yoav Kisch (Likud) met Tuesday morning in a last-ditch effort to resolve their differences and allow the new school year to begin smoothly. However, despite the urgency of the situation, the negotiations ended in a deadlock, with no agreements reached, prolonging the strike that has already paralyzed the nation’s high schools since Sunday.  High School teachers have been going on strike at the start of the school year for several years as the teachers union, which wielded significant power in Israel's early decades, has struggled to navigate a civic system moving towards an open-market structure while the heavily bureaucratic agencies have lagged behind the changes.

Negotiations Collapse Amid Blame Game

The atmosphere in the meeting was tense, with both sides digging in their heels. Kisch, visibly frustrated, lambasted the Teachers Union for what he described as regressive demands. "There is no reason to continue negotiations, in light of the positions of the Union, which only go backwards," he declared, signaling a deep rift that threatens to leave students in the lurch for the foreseeable future.

Teachers Union Rejects Government Proposals as Insufficient

Ran Erez, the defiant chair of the Teachers Union, pushed back against the government’s proposals, dismissing them as inadequate and misleading. He claimed that the so-called "new" plan from Kisch was nothing more than smoke and mirrors, offering teachers an additional 2,000 NIS per month only after a three-year delay and without any retroactive compensation. For many teachers, struggling with the rising cost of living, this offer is too little, too late. 

Contentious Proposals Add Fuel to the Fire

Adding fuel to the already blazing conflict, the Education and Finance Ministries are demanding that six percent of high school teachers be transitioned to personal contracts, a move that the union vehemently opposes. This shift, which the government argues will enhance flexibility and performance, is seen by the union as an attack on job security and collective bargaining rights, further escalating tensions.

The Right to Strike: A Sticking Point

The Finance Ministry's insistence that the union abandon its traditional start-of-year strikes until 2028 has also become a major sticking point. Erez is adamant that the union must retain the right to strike whenever unresolved issues arise, framing the government's demand as an attack on basic labor rights. "We will not be silenced," Erez asserted, vowing to continue the fight for teachers' rights and dignity.

A Crisis With No End in Sight

With both sides locked in a bitter standoff, the path forward remains uncertain. As the strike drags on, the real victims are the students and parents caught in the crossfire, facing disruptions and uncertainties that threaten to overshadow the start of the academic year. As the clock ticks, the pressure mounts for both the government and the Teachers Union to find common ground—but with positions hardening on all sides, a swift resolution seems increasingly unlikely.

The battle lines are drawn, and until a compromise is reached, the future of Israel’s high school education hangs in the balance.

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