Last update - 00:00 01/05/2007
Technion University students in Haifa back out of strike
By Tamara Traubmann, Haaretz Correspondent
The Technion University Student Union has decided to put an end to the strike and return to class of Wednesday. The Technion in Haifa is the first University to back out of the strike since it began on April 10th.
According to the Technion Student Union website the "high academic cost" of the strike has led the union to end the strike, "despite the undoubtedly righteous struggle". Union representatives also said that continuing the strike would not be effective.
Itai Shonshein, Chairman of the National Students Union, said in response that "he is disappointed from the decision, which is a direct contradiction of the decision made on Monday night by the National Students Union".
He added that several emails have been sent by angry Technion students demanding that the University in Haifa stay united in the student struggle.
Student organizations rejected on Tuesday an offer made by representatives of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert which included, among other things, a promise that tuition would not be increased in the next two years and that if the Shochat Committee reforms are fully carried out, NIS 1 billion would be returned to the higher education budget.
Student unions at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Bar Ilan University and Haifa University also mulled over ending the strike, but have decided to stay the course at this time.
Middle school teachers to go on strike across the country
The Secondary School Teachers' Association will hold a general strike nationwide on Wednesday in all middle schools.
The organization represents only half of the middle school teachers in the country, with the other half belonging to the Teachers' Union, who are not striking.
In many schools, there are teachers from both organizations. However, the announcement of a strike makes it difficult for teachers who are not striking to teach, as many students do not show up for classes.
On Tuesday, the Teachers' Union went on strike in the Tel Aviv and Haifa school districts, in grades 7-12, excluding the "Ort" and "Amal" schools.