After months of struggle and protest on the part of the Teachers’ Union at the beginning of the General Secretary Yaffe Ben David against the Ministry of Finance demanding to reach a new salary agreement that would benefit the teachers and put an end to years of disputes, a final salary agreement between the parties was signed tonight, mediated by the Ministry of Education.
As I recall, when the struggle began on the part of the Teachers’ Union, Secretary General Ben David threatened disruptions in the opening of this year, which finally opened without unusual problems. The agreement stipulates that the salary of a beginning teacher will be set at 8,200 shekels and will be applied retroactively from the beginning of the school year, when starting from the beginning of the next school year (September 2023) the salary will be set at approximately 9,000 shekels. It was also determined that a teacher will receive a persistence grant of NIS 10,000 after three years in the education system and that a beginning manager will earn approximately NIS 19,000. Among the clauses of the agreement it can be found that “industrial peace” is established until at least the year 2026.
In addition, there will be a flexible reward basket for each manager who can recommend grants of NIS 400 to NIS 1,000 for taking initiative and taking on roles in the education system. Remuneration for managing a kindergarten will not be less than NIS 1,500.
Changes to the holiday schedule
At the same time as the salary agreement, and as part of the desire to adapt the holiday schedule in the education system to holidays in the economy, it was decided to change the vacation schedule of the education system in Israel according to which the holidays of Asro Hagg, Lag Baumer and the Fast of Esther will be canceled. Also, there will be a bridge between Yom Kippur and Sukkot, and teachers will be given two Vacation days to be chosen on the spot. The changes to the vacation schedule will only start from the next academic year (Tashpad).
This is a kind of screaming of the vacation days when the vacations that prohibited the holiday will be replaced by the Gesher vacation that will be between Yom Kippur and Sukkot. Such a step actually contradicts the desire to adjust the vacation schedule of the education system to the vacation schedule in the economy.
Here at BizPortal, we previously criticized the teachers’ union’s desire to bring about a sweeping salary increase when the compensation component for outstanding and creative teachers is marginal (read here and here). This looks like pre-election pressure and hysteria from the point of view of the finance and education ministers who are determined to reach an agreement themselves and exploit the situation on the part of the teachers union.
Minister of Finance, Avigdor Lieberman: “I am happy that after lengthy negotiations, we were able to sign a salary agreement that will increase teachers’ salaries by tens of percent, will give managers managerial flexibility, will give teachers the option to reward excellence, investment and achievements and not only according to seniority, and will synchronize vacation days between those of the students and those of the parents” .
Minister of Education, Dr. Yifat Shasha Biton: “We can definitely say ‘we lived it.’ The manpower system that has reached a deep crisis in recent years.”
Secretary General of the Teachers’ Union, Yaffe Ben David: “The wage agreement that we brought is a huge achievement for the working public and teaching staff in Israel, who are finally receiving recognition and appreciation from the state for their important work and their contribution to Israeli society. However, this is only the first step in restoring the status of working women and teaching staff: I intend to take action to establish many additional steps that must be taken in order to Returning Atara to its former glory and advancing the education system and the status of female and male teaching staff to the top of the list of priorities in Israel.”
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