Wage talks continued Tuesday between Education Minister Yuli Tamir and the head of the Secondary Schools Teachers’ Association, Ran Erez in a last-ditch effort to avoid a strike.

On the table are two issues, reforms in the secondary school system and an immediate 15 percent wage hike. Erez is not optimistic that it will be possible to avoid the strike, because any agreement would still mean “the Education Minister would have to persuade the Finance Minister to pay it, and after that probably the Prime Minister.” Such a process could last up to two weeks.

Teachers plan to walk out Wednesday if an agreement is not reached. The Education Minister has asked the union to continue talks aimed at creating a plan for education reform, which would last several months, and more immediate negotiations to reach agreement on a wage hike.