After pressure and protests: Israeli teachers reach final agreement with Finance Ministry

The Teachers' Union and the Israeli Finance Ministry reached a final agreement on Thursday morning regarding the demands of teachers and kindergarten staff.

According to a joint statement released by both parties, "Education employees working under the 'New Horizon' (Ofek Chadash) framework in state service will see a significantly smaller salary reduction compared to what was originally planned by law for 2025."

On Monday, according to the Ministry of Education, around 20,000 educators reported being “sick” and did not show up to teach in protest.

According to the agreement, a planned four-month freeze on seniority and rank-based pay raises for teachers next year has been canceled. Instead, clothing allowances will be reduced, bonuses for special education teachers will be postponed by two years, and a planned special salary supplement for teachers chosen for specific roles by principals will also be deferred.

Key points of the agreement:

• The salary reduction rate will decrease from 3.307% to 0.95%. In practical terms, the salary cut, which was expected to range from approximately 300 NIS (for a beginning full-time teacher) to about 860 NIS (for a veteran full-time teacher) per month in 2025, will now range from around 86 NIS to 270 NIS per month.

• The clause freezing promotions for eligible teachers for four months has been removed. This means that teachers entitled to a promotion in rank will receive it as scheduled.

• Two vacation days will be added to the school calendar: one this academic year on Lag BaOmer (May 16, 2025), and another next year, also on Lag BaOmer (May 5, 2026).

Despite the new agreements, disruptions in the education system are expected to continue today. Yesterday, the Labor Court accepted the state’s position and ruled that all education employees in schools and kindergartens must immediately return to full, regular work and refrain from any disruptions.

The Israeli Teachers’ Front responded to the court’s ruling, accusing the Teachers' Union of betrayal: “The union, which is supposed to represent us and protect our rights, is turning its back on us at a critical moment.”

“The real question is not ‘What counts as illness?’ but rather ‘Why is there no one to defend us when we’re sick?’” the statement read. “Moreover, a serious conflict of interest has emerged: while the union is supposed to protect us, it has forged an agreement that harms us.”

The Teachers’ Front claimed that due to the union’s actions and the conduct of its Secretary General, Yaffa Ben David, they are considering moving to a different organization: “We are not being represented—legally, morally, or organizationally.”

They added that their fight for fair representation is far from over.