Government asks Labor Court to prevent Sunday’s planned teachers’ strike

By Sam Sokol 3 May 2025, 10:19 pm

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Sam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"

Government ministers announce that they are lodging a last-minute legal appeal to prevent the launch of a Sunday morning teachers’ strike.

“The government is now appealing to the Labor Court for a restraining order against the sudden, unnecessary, harmful, and irresponsible strike,” writes Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on X.

“We hope to be able to update you as soon as possible about the issuance of the order and the continuation of classes tomorrow as usual.”

The Israel Teachers Union announced on Friday it would strike on Sunday by only starting classes at 11 a.m., a measure taken to protest the surprise 3.3 percent drop in government salaries for April amid the war in Gaza.

According to the union, the strike will take place in preschools, elementary schools and middle schools, but special education institutions will not be affected.

In a statement, Education Minister Yoav Kisch states that at 10 a.m. on Sunday, he and Smotrich will meet with teachers’ representatives “with the aim of promoting an immediate solution to the gaps that have emerged between the Finance Ministry and the Teachers’ Federation on the issue of teaching staff conditions, and ensuring the stability of the education system.”

“‏In order to allow the discussion to be held in full seriousness, and to prevent harm to students and parents until the process is exhausted, the government will today turn to the Labor Court with a request to temporarily postpone the strike planned for tomorrow,” the minister states.

Kisch adds that he “stands behind the teachers’ position” but insists that a strike at this time “could harm the effort” to reach an accommodation.