Bnei Brak Kindergarten Teachers Announce Protest, Delaying Start of School Day
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
Kindergarten teachers in Bnei Brak will delay the start of the school day by 90 minutes on Monday, October 30th, due to a protest over working conditions. The workers' union announced the action, citing unilateral moves by the city municipality. The protest highlights ongoing disputes between staff and administration, while also occurring alongside increased government recognition of Haredi kindergarten networks.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Bnei Brak kindergarten teachers will delay the start of school by 90 minutes on Monday.
- The protest is over alleged deteriorating working conditions and unilateral city actions.
- Parents are asked not to bring children to kindergarten before 9:30 AM.
- The action follows ongoing disputes between the workers' union and city administration.
- This occurs as the government increasingly recognizes Haredi kindergarten networks.
Kindergarten teachers and educational support staff in Bnei Brak will begin their workday 90 minutes late on Monday, October 30th, as part of a protest action announced by their workers' union. The union stated that the industrial action is a response to deteriorating working conditions and unilateral actions by the city municipality against the educators. Parents have been instructed not to bring their children to kindergarten before 9:30 AM.
The protest stems from ongoing tensions between the workers' union and the city administration, with the union alleging harm to working conditions and salaries. A source from the Bnei Brak municipality expressed concern that the protest would negatively impact parents, who might lose work hours, and the kindergarten staff themselves, who would not be paid for the time they are not working.
This action occurs amidst growing government recognition of Haredi kindergarten networks nationwide. In July, a government decision was made to budget these networks based on the actual seniority of the teachers, a change that followed a prolonged campaign led by Rabbi Israel Galamab, CEO of the Garden Network, and MK Moshe Gafni. This governmental shift signifies a significant change in the state's approach to these networks and the employment conditions of thousands of teachers.
It remains unclear whether the planned protest will be limited to the 90-minute delay or if further actions will be taken if the dispute between the union and the city administration is not resolved.