Israel's primary school teachers stage day-long strike

Teachers' union says the government has not put forward firm proposals over salaries and working conditions

Primary schools will be closed throughout Israel on Wednesday after the country's teachers' union failed to reach an agreement with the government on pay rises. AFP

Primary schools will be closed throughout Israel on Wednesday after the country's teachers' union failed to reach an agreement with government officials on pay increases and better terms of employment.

Classes will be also cancelled in kindergartens, although secondary schools and special education schools will be open as normal.

Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton voiced her support for the teachers in the stand-off with the Ministry of Finance in several tweets over the past few days.

On Tuesday night, she tweeted in Hebrew that the strike could have been prevented if the Ministry of Finance had acted seriously, accusing the ministry's representatives of procrastination.

The ministry said it was determined to reach an agreement to improve teachers’ salaries, bringing relief to parents and the economy by adjusting holidays and promoting excellence.

"But the conduct of the teachers’ union in acting on the backs of the parents and students at this time is not clear to us at all," the ministry said.

The union is demanding that newly hired teachers earn a monthly salary of about $3,000.

Union chief Yaffa Ben-David said it had been negotiating with ministry officials for six months but had not yet received any firm proposals.

“I call once again on Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman to come and sit down with the education minister, the director general of the ministry, the person in charge of salaries and with me tomorrow,” he said.

Union members have held occasional strikes over the past few weeks, with classes starting late or ending early.

It is not clear whether Mr Lieberman, who is leading the negotiations with the union, will keep his post in an expected caretaker government.

Leaders of Israel's political coalitions and parties are expected to vote on Wednesday in an initial ballot to dissolve the parliament, known as the Knesset.

The country is braced for a fifth election in less than four years, with polling predicting no clear winner.

A series of defections from the right-wing Yamina party of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett stripped the ruling coalition of its majority in the Knesset.