High school students around the country began to take matters into their own hands Monday as the teachers' strike entered its 17th day.
The High Court found in favor of a petition by Herzliya 11th grader Julian Gidron, age 16, and his mother Gila Monday to order Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Education Minister Yuli Tamir and Finance Minister Roni Bar-On to personally enter talks in an "urgent meeting" with the high school teachers' union and bring the weeks-long strike to an end. Gidron's attorney filed an "order to show cause" Monday insisting that the ministers take a personal hand in the negotiations with the Secondary School Teachers' Association.
Thousands of students demonstrated in Jerusalem's Rose Garden near the government's offices Monday in support of the teachers. According to Ynet, some 2,000 religious students from schools throughout Jerusalem held Torah classes in the garden during their demonstration. Religious schools have continued to hold classes, although secular subjects have not been taught.
Meanwhile, the Knesset Labor faction, led by Labor Secretary General Eitan Cabel, was scheduled to meet with Tamir Monday to discuss her progress in the negotiations.
Tamir was to meet later in the day with teachers' union chairman Ran Erez in hopes of resolving the long-standing differences over wages and working conditions. The Education Ministry has threatened to petition the National Labor Court to issue an order forcing the teachers back into the classroom if a solution is not found within the next several days. Hundreds of teacher signed letters of resignation last week and threatened to submit them if they are ordered by the court to resume teaching without an agreement.
Histadrut Labor Federation Chairman Ofer Eini warned Sunday, however, that its leadership might call a general strike if the government cannot reach an agreement with the teachers in the next week. In such a case, workers in the public sector might walk off the job two weeks after the call is issued by union leadership.
"We expect a swift renewal of negotiations so as not to leave Israel's children in the streets or at home and unable to prepare for matriculation exams," Eini told reporters at a news conference Sunday.