Cablegate: Teachers Receive Partial Payment; Strike Ends;

VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJMA #4787 3171503
ZNR UUUUU ZZH ZUI RUEWCSE6771 3171455
O 131503Z NOV 06
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 004787

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN ELAB PGOV KWBG
SUBJECT: TEACHERS RECEIVE PARTIAL PAYMENT; STRIKE ENDS;
SCHOOLS OPEN

REF: JERUSALEM 4773

1. (SBU) PA PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS RECEIVED A PARTIAL SALARY
PAYMENT OF NIS 1,000 ON NOVEMBER 11 IN ACCORDANCE WITH AN
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PA GOVERNMENT AND THE GENERAL UNION OF
TEACHERS (REFTEL), ACCORDING TO PRESS ACCOUNTS CONFIRMED BY
ECONSPECIALIST. PUBLIC SCHOOLS OPENED ON NOVEMBER 11 FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN OVER TWO MONTHS.

2. (SBU) PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS LAUNCHED THE STRIKE IN
SEPTEMBER 2006 AT THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR IN PROTEST OF
THE PA'S FAILURE TO PAY THEIR SALARIES. TEACHERS EARN ABOUT
NIS 1,500 TO NIS 2,500 A MONTH, AND THE GENERAL UNION OF
TEACHERS HAS THREATENED TO RESUME THE STRIKE SHOULD THE PA
FAIL TO PAY THE BALANCE OF THIS MONTH'S SALARY BY NOVEMBER
20. UNDER THE TERMS OF THE NOVEMBER 6 AGREEMENT, ALL BACK
PAY SHOULD BE PAID THROUGH A SERIES OF FOUR TRANCHED
PAYMENTS, STARTING IN JANUARY 2007.

3. (SBU) PA MINISTER OF PLANNING SAMIR ABU AISHA TOLD THE
MA'AN NEWS AGENCY NOVEMBER 10 THAT A PROPOSAL SIMILAR TO THAT
ACCEPTED BY THE TEACHERS HAD BEEN OFFERED TO THE FEDERATION
OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS' UNION, BUT HEALTH WORKERS DID NOT
REPLY AND CONTINUE TO STRIKE.

WALLES

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