Advancement of violence protection bill leads teachers to cancel planned strike

A planned nationwide teachers strike Sunday that would have affected some 700,000 seventh to twelfth graders across the country was canceled after Education Ministry Director-General Shmuel Abuav promised to expedite a bill to combat violence against teachers.Abuav told Ran Erez, chairman of the Teachers’ Association, that the bill, proposed by the Teachers’ Association in August 2016 will be expedited in the Knesset and that a committee meeting will be held December 10.“In light of the written commitment from the Education Ministry that declared an agreement with the Association for the eradication of violence against teachers in Israel, the Teachers’ Association announced the cancellation of the strike,” the Association said Friday afternoon.The strike had been declared after a teacher in Tel Sheva was knocked unconscious by a pupil who hit her over the head with a metal rod on Wednesday.Erez praised Abuav’s commitment to implement the legislation to eliminate violence against teachers, and demanded that “the Education Ministry work hard and dedicate itself against anyone who acts violently against a teacher in Israel.”The Association made it clear, however, that its salary disputes with the Finance Ministry have not been resolved.The Teachers’ Association has been on strike since November 12 after salary negotiations with the Finance Ministry broke down.