Teachers' strike sees another day of failed negotiations

Adi Eldar, Chairman of the National Union of Local Authorities, decided Wednesday to step down as mediator between the Education Ministry and the Middle and High School Teachers' Association.

Eldar, who took part in four of the meetings aimed at bringing the teachers' strike to an end, said he realized the gaps between the parties could not be mediated, and that he regrets the fact that the Teachers' Association refused the Education Ministry's offers.

The National Union of Local Authorities said it may be forced to resort to asking for injunctions against the strike, in order to prepare high school students ready for the winter matriculation exams.

"Now that the strike has entered its 20th day, the heads of the local authorities can no longer stand by and watch 650,000 student roaming the streets and 40,000 teachers striking," said Eldar.

'We reject mute offers'

Several hours prior to Eldar's announcement, the Middle and High School Teachers' Association rejected the Finance Minister Ronnie Bar-On's offer of a 5% wage increase over the next three years. Bar-On's offer to renegotiate the Education Ministry's proposed reform of the school system in exchange for the cessation of the strike, was rejected as well.

"We reject the mute offers to end the strike… I hope the finance minister will bring us a workable offer, so we can bring the strike to its end" said Ran Erez, head of the Teachers' Association, who met with Bar-On, Eldar and Education Minister Yuli Tamir earlier Wednesday; the meeting, said the parties involved, "was in good spirit".

The Finance Ministry released the following statement: "The finance minister, the education minister and their representatives are working very hard to bring the teachers' strike to its end… we regret that the Teachers' Association chose to reject, yet again, the proposal brought before it as part of a serious negotiation.

"The ministry's offer was made with the best interest of the educational system, the students and the parents in mind, and with the belief that the Teachers' Association shares our responsibility and desire to bring the strike to its end."

Meanwhile the National Parents Association threatened to paralyze the school system in its entirety  – from kindergartens through high schools - should injunctions be issued against the teachers.

"We will not agree to a recurrence of last year, when the teachers were forced to come back to the

classrooms," Itzik Maimon, head of the Parents' Association told Ynet.

The Parents Association called on Defense Minister Ehud Barak to postpone the August 2008 draft, fearing the strike may prolong the school year and prevent seniors from completing their exams before their recruitment.