Preschool teachers: We will not return to work

Preschool and daycare organizations announced that they would not be returning to work until the government properly allocate funds and preparatory instructions.

By YUVAL BAGNO/MAARIV, MOSHE COHEN/MAARIV
A DAYCARE CENTER in Jerusalem. [Illustrative photo] (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
A DAYCARE CENTER in Jerusalem. [Illustrative photo]
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
The three umbrella organizations which run early childhood education frameworks up to the age of three, as well as the Association of Supervised Daycare Workers, threatened on Saturday that they will not be returning to work, even by May 10.
They said they are outraged by the message released by Labor and Welfare Minister Ofir Akunis during a cabinet meeting the night prior, according to which Finance Ministry Budget Department head Shaul Meridor reported to ministers that the “budgetary issue” had been resolved.
In umbrella organizations stated that “the government reaches decisions but does not direct the professional factors on how to apply them.
“In the current situation and without clear instructions and a minimal budget, we will not be able to open the centers on May 10,” the forum continued. “We will not risk the lives of toddlers and caretakers.”
The forum included leaders from WIZO, Na’amat, Faith, Herut Women, Experimental Society, Bet Yaakov, The Daycare Union and more, who additionally emphasized that in contrast to that which was said by Akunis, who quoted the Finance Minister, there has not yet been an agreement with the Finance Ministry regarding compensation for the month of March.
In addition, no pledge was given by the Treasury not to impose costs on parents for returning to the norm.
The Private Kindergarten Forum, which includes all of the private preschools, said that in contrast to the announcement by Meridor, the crisis with the private daycare centers and preschools has not been solved. It threatened that “if we do not start negotiations this week, our school year has ended.”
The companies in the “Power to the Workers” organization said, “Not only has the crisis not been solved, but there was no response at all to our requests from the Welfare Ministry and no solution has been offered.
“Some 3,700 caretakers, who are managing daycares from their homes, are not eligible for unemployment benefits and only about one-third of them received independent workers grants until now, usually for a paltry sum of about NIS 2,000. We intend not to open the daycares, which serve about 18,000 toddlers, even after May 10.”
The National Daycare Union, which brings together hundreds of daycare centers for those up to age three, which belongs to education and welfare entrepreneurs under the supervision of the Labor and Welfare Ministry and works in cooperation with the Yinboa Organization of supervised daycares within the Arab sector, announced that negotiations for the necessary compensation are at a dead end.
“It will be impossible to resume activity on May 10 in 700 daycares belonging to education and welfare entrepreneurs, including 50,000 children,” the union said. “As long as the unique compensation, including the recognition of rent and construction expenses of the daycares during the months of the crisis, are not recognized, and as long as there are no coordination and and assessment procedures for the return to activity according to the regulations for health care, activity in daycares will not resume.”


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