Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., October 29, 2007 Cheshvan 17, 5768 | | Israel Time: 10:15 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Print Edition Diplomacy Defense Arts & Leisure Real Estate Jewish World National Advertising Magazine Week's End Business Opinion Rosner's Domain Anglo File Books Travel

del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 10:12 29/10/2007 Tamir, pressed to end teacher strike, to meet with union chief Education Minister Yuli Tamir, under pressure from her Labor colleagues to settle the teachers strike now in its 17th day, is to meet on Monday with Ran Erez, chair of the Secondary School Teachers Association (SSTA), in a renewed effort to find a solution. If the the talks fail to yield progress in the next few days, the Education Ministry and the treasury intend to seek court orders to force teachers back to work. Also on Monday, the Knesset Labor faction will hold a special meeting to discuss the strike, during which Tamir will report on her efforts to find a solution. Senior Labor figures said Sunday that Tamir is expected to be criticized by her party for her and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's management of the crisis. They said it was a pity Tamir was cooperating with Olmert in a "divide and conquer" mode. Advertisement Labor Secretary General Eitan Cabel, who is also the faction chair, called the meeting at the request of MK Ophir Pines-Paz, who said the party must play a more dominant role in the affair and the Education Ministry should not be the servant of the prime minister but rather take an interest in the position of the teachers. Histadrut labor federation Chairman Ofer Eini warned Sunday that if the dispute continued another week, the Histadrut leadership would declare its intention to hold a general strike. Fifteen days later after such a declaration, various sectors could begin shutting down, such as government offices and local authorities. " We expect a swift renewal of negotiations so as not to leave Israel's children in the streets or at home and not able to prepare for matriculation exams," Eini told a press conference. Eini presented an outline for a solution to the crisis that is very similar to the demands of with a 26 percent maximum pay increase to teachers over a five-year period. Fifteen percent of the raise would be payable immediately. The increase is the same as that awarded to Teachers Union, which represents elementary school teachers. SSTA Chairman Ran Erez said that in exchange for the increment, the teachers would be willing to increase their hours at school working individually with students or on special projects, but would not add classroom hours. Sources in Labor said Eini's threat of a general strike worked against Tamir and was agreeable to Labor Chairman and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who when he took up his defense post tried to have Tamir fired. Barak's bureau called the statements "foolishness." Tamir met Sunday morning with Finance Minister Roni Bar-On, and the two discussed issuing back-to-work orders to the teachers. "We are on the eve of winter matriculation exams and during this week every effort will be made to reach an agreement. If we do not succeed, together we will ask the local authorities to issue injunctions. We will not allow the struggle to hurt the students," Tamir said. Erez met Sunday with the head of the Union of Local Authorities, Adi Eldar, who offered to act as a mediator. Sources said that as long as talks were ongoing with local authorities, which are the direct employers of the teachers, these authorities would not ask for court injunctions. Bookmark to del.icio.us 6 years on Officials say Syria's suspected reactor was under construction in 2001. Nyet to aliyah The minister was wrong: Nativ's tactics simply aren't suited to today's Jewish village.

Today Online Gideon Levy: Peace summit will expose Israel's true colors Responses: 6 Israel allows money to flow into Gaza Strip despite sanctions Responses: 7 Ze'ev Segal: The assassin of a PM deserves no leniency Send response Itamar Rabinovitch: Preparing for life in the Middle East after Bush Responses: 1 Ukraine to ask Israel: Recognize 1930s famine as genocide Responses: 47 Rosner's Domain * Is Tikkun Olam a substitute for Israel? * New Guest: The Zionism of Winston Churchill * WTR: Only 35% of Americans believe Iran can be stopped * Is Haaretz really better than the New York Times? More Headlines 10:09 Two soldiers wounded in southern Gaza Strip clashes 09:45 Israel allows money to flow into Gaza Strip despite sanctions 07:56 Livni visits China in bid to step up economic sanctions on Iran 10:12 Tamir, pressed to end teacher strike, to meet with union chief 08:08 Systematic mass murder of Jews detailed in huge Nazi archive 07:30 Ukraine to ask Israel: Recognize 1930s famine as state genocide 08:48 17-year-old boy found stabbed to death after Herzliya brawl 08:16 Mazuz: Katsav may have had consensual affair with accuser 04:30 Steep rise in child sexual assault complaints among Haredis 05:06 Pollution slashes almost a third of Israel's drinking water in 2005 Previous Editions Select Day 28 oct 26 oct 25 oct 24 oct 23 oct 22 oct 21 oct 19 oct 18 oct 17 oct 16 oct 15 oct

Special Offers Advertisement learn Hebrew online with israel's best teachers. Sign up for a trial lesson today Invest in Macedonia New Business Heaven in Europe Long-term Israel programs MASA is your gateway. More programs. More grants. Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations JOIN FREE AT JDATE.COM The most popular online Jewish dating community in the world! Explore the possibilities! Click Here! Dead Sea Salt Beauty and skin care from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 10% off! Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt. Holiday Inn and Crown Plaza Israel Lowest internet rate Guaranteed at ichotelsgroup.com !

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved