Israeli Teachers Agree to Restore Lost School Hours to Cancel Pay Cuts

The Israeli Secondary Teachers Organization has reached a groundbreaking agreement with the Ministry of Finance to restore four lost teaching hours next school year in exchange for canceling planned salary cuts. These hours were previously cut due to a one-day conflict linked to the recent war against Iran in June. The agreement, reported first by Kan News, effectively reverses the pay reduction imposed by the Finance Ministry as a cost-saving measure during the conflict.

The deal also led the teachers' union to cancel a labor dispute declared in May. Ran Erez, chairman of the teachers' organization, stated that the union achieved most of its negotiation goals and secured significant gains for teachers. He emphasized the union's ongoing commitment to improving teachers' working conditions and correcting injustices in the education system under the Education Minister's responsibility.

The agreement is set to take effect at the start of the next academic year, with teachers returning the lost hours in a controlled and planned manner. Additionally, Education Minister Yifat Ben-David is reportedly in advanced talks to extend a similar arrangement to all educational institutions under her jurisdiction, aiming to apply the agreement across the entire education system. The pay cut cancellation is valid only until the current state agreement with the teachers' union expires in September 2028.

The initial pay cut had sparked a crisis after the Finance Ministry ordered a salary reduction equivalent to one workday due to the Iran conflict, which lasted about a day. Ran Erez criticized the decision as an unlawful wage deduction made without consulting the teachers' organizations. The new compromise allows the education system to return to normal operations while respecting teachers' dignity and work conditions.