Senior Israeli Academics Continue Strike Now Nearing 80 Days. (January 16, 2008)

The professorial staff of Israel's seven universities (referred to as senior lecturers) have refused to lecture over the past 80 days (give or take a few days depending on whose starting date you accept). Up to now they have continued their research and as a consequence they have been on reduced salaries.

The dispute centres on the relative erosion of the pay of senior staff relative to purchasing power over the past decade and so far the government, represented by the Treasury and the academics have not found an acceptable compromise.

The prolonged suspension of classes has now reached a critical stage and there is the very real possibility that the coming semester will be cancelled which will have potentially  devastating effects on all concerned, students, staff and the universities per se.

Here TFW reprints a short report from Yesterday's The Jerusalem Post together with a letter from Professor Martin Orkin of the University of Haifa.

Despite the view expressed by Professor Hacohen (see the report) it is by no means certain how the court will decide regarding the issuing of a back to work order.

The 7 billion New Israeli Shekels referred to in the article equals A$2.13 billion.