The National Labor Court has decided to force Israel’s striking school teachers back to work when after the Chanukah vacation.
The court on Tuesday night approved the government's request to issue an injunction against the teachers in a decision that calls for classes to resume on December 13. The teachers have been striking for nearly two months.
The injunction request was filed by the Finance and Education Ministries, and resulted in the court acting as mediator between the striking teachers and the government. Negotiations will now continue under the shadow of the injunction. Finance Minister Roni Bar-On called the injunction a “last resort.”
National Labor Court Judges Steve Adler, Nili Arad and Yigal Plitman lamented the suffering that the strike has caused Israel’s students educationally and teachers financially. They said they hoped the injunctions would protect both groups from harm during the remaining negotiations.
Secondary Teachers Union chief Ran Erez says he will appeal to Israel’s Supreme Court to annul the injunction. However, he said he would not disobey legally-issued injunctions. The union’s attorneys dispute the veracity of statistics presented to the court by government representatives.
MK Zevulun Orlev (NU/NRP) reacted with disappointment at the Labor Court's decision. This is “a sad day for labor relations in Israel and a mortal blow to the basic right to strike,” Orlev said. The back-to-work order is “a ringing slap on the cheek” to teachers, he said, and a sign that the government does not trust them.
Orlev complained that the government leadership’s behavior has led to a collapse of Israel’s educational system, “which must be built up and revived.”