Lieberman called on the Teachers’ Union to sit down for continuous negotiations this coming Sunday, but Secretary General Yaffa Ben-David called on him to come to the negotiations himself on Wednesday and announced that the sanctions would not end until a concrete proposal with sums was received. At this point there is a dead end.
The main debate between the parties is about the desire of the Ministry of Finance to add salaries, especially for young teachers, as opposed to the Teachers’ Union’s demand for large additions for veterans as well. In practice the Treasury has not yet presented sums so Ben David’s immediate demand is to accept such an offer. The Ministry of Finance also demands that the vacation schedule be adapted to the needs of the economy, allow compensation for good teachers and facilitate the dismissal of teachers.
Ben-David said that “we have been negotiating with the finance officials for six months, but we have not yet received even one concrete proposal. I hope that the Minister of Finance, Avigdor Lieberman, will use all his weight on the finance officials to end the crisis. I call on him to come in person and sit with the Minister of Education, the director general of the ministry, the person in charge of salaries and with me – already this coming Wednesday and not wait until Sunday. We are ready to sit until white smoke comes out and expect that on Wednesday To all teaching staff in the civil service. ”
At a meeting of the Yisrael Beiteinu faction today, Lieberman called on the teachers’ union to end the sanctions and shutdowns and enter into continuous negotiations from this coming Sunday. However he demanded that teachers “come to negotiations openly without prejudice, without ultimatums and without dictating.” According to him, the negotiations must include an adjustment of the vacation schedule of teachers and the rest of the economy as well as a reward for excellence. He added that “a real effort has been made to reach an agreement.”
Lieberman said at the faction meeting that he was asked by other ministers why he did not respond to the demands of the workers from different sectors when the treasury was full anyway. According to him, the total wage demands in the economy is NIS 41 billion. “There will be no electoral considerations in negotiations. Only state and other considerations,” he said.