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