The Israel Cabinet has decided that secondary school teachers, who have been on strike since March 5 in a bid for higher salaries, will not be paid for the period they are out, except for the two-and-a half-week Passover recess, it was disclosed today.
The Cabinet made the decision after approving a report by Finance Minister Levi Eshkol in his capacity as chairman of a special Ministerial committee dealing with the impasse. Mr. Eshkol informed the Cabinet of plans by the Ministry of Education to hold final examinations for 4,000 high school seniors if the strike was not settled by the end of the current school term.
Education Minister Abba Eban, moving into the situation immediately on his return from the United States, told the Knesset tonight that the strike was “unjustified and irresponsible.” He expressed readiness for immediate negotiation of a solution by convening of a round table of all parties concerned, this week, if feasible, to make possible restoration of normal classroom activities at the end of the Passover holiday.
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