The High School Teachers' Association threatened not to open the school year on September 2 after negotiations with the Finance Ministry regarding wage increases derailed on Sunday.
“Unfortunately, the Finance Ministry and the prime minister (Ehud Olmert) are not willing to allocate the necessary funds despite admitting that the teachers deserve a wage increase and an improvement in their working conditions,” Teachers' Association head Ran Erez said.
“The proposals submitted to us were degrading and unworthy. The only thing that could still solve the current difficulties in the negotiations is the intervention of Olmert or Education Minister Yuli Tamir.”
The teachers' association had been negotiating with the Education and Finance ministries for a new wage package for its 30,000 members since August 2006. During the negotiations they suspended classes in various schools around the country.
As part of the strike, the teachers disrupted some of the matriculation exams in high schools, but were ordered to cease their action by the National Labor Court.