High school teachers staging 2-hour strike, with classes to start at 10 a.m.

High schools around the country are currently undergoing a two-hour strike, in response to a push by the Knesset Finance Committee to initiate individual contracts for teachers for next year, instead of a collective salary agreement.

The High School Teachers Union last week announced today’s strike, which is taking place from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

In a statement, union head Ran Erez claimed at the time that the Knesset’s planned move is an effort to “transform teachers into contractor employees… the first step in the privatization of the education system.”

The union has warned that if the matter is not resolved, it will continue “low-key” strikes until the end of the school year, in order to not disrupt graduations and other activities, but will prepare to “not start the school year” in the fall, a threat of a full walk-out.