Kisch says all efforts being made to avoid school strike

Education Minister Yoav Kisch says he is doing everything to make sure high schools open on time on September 1, as teachers gird for the possibility of a long-haul strike, the Ynet news website reports.

“We’re in intensive talks, and we’ll keep at it until white smoke emerges,” Kisch says, using a papal metaphor. “We’re making every effort to come to an agreement and I’m sure in the coming days we’ll have a breakthrough.”

High school teachers are pushing for a new collective bargaining agreement, threatening to delay the start of the school year if there’s no agreement by Friday.

Kisch tells the station that his ministry’s staff will meet with treasury officials Monday.

On Saturday, union boss Ran Erez promised that teachers would not back down from their demands.

“One hundred percent there will be a strike on September 1st. We are determined not to open the school year and are preparing for a long strike,” he told Channel 13 news.