The Histadrut, the Ministry of Finance, and the Federation of Local Authorities signed an agreement on Tuesday to raise wages and improve working conditions for teachers’ aides. The reform, which affects more than 55,000 teachers’ aides, aims to change the perception of the profession by introducing the new title of “education support person” and increasing professional training.
Main points of the agreement:
Salary increase: The basic salary of teachers’ aides will increase by more than 20%, with new workers in the profession now making between 7,000 shekels ($1,890) and 8,000 shekels ($2,150) monthly:
- Teachers’ assistants who help students with medical issues integrate into the classroom will start with a monthly base salary of 7,000 shekels ($1,890)
- Teachers’ assistants in kindergartens and schools will start with a monthly base salary of 7,200 shekels ($1,940)
- Teachers assistants in special education will start with a monthly base salary of 8,000 shekels ($2,150)
For each year of seniority, teachers’ aides will receive 50 additional shekels ($14), up to 40 years.
Promotion and professional development: The agreement regulates professional development and training for teachers’ aides, with teachers’ aides receiving an additional 400-1,600 shekels ($110-$432) monthly according to level of professional development.
Representatives signing the reform agreement for teachers’ aides. Photo: Histadrut Spokesperson's Office
Shortening the work week: Throughout the term of the agreement, the work week will be shortened to 40 hours. Once that is accomplished, the question of shortening the week an additional hour will be examined, with a goal of reducing the work week to 39 hours as long as there is not a shortage of workers. The monthly wages will stay the same as the hours of the work week are decreased, increasing the value of each hour of working and allowing for a more appropriate work-life balance.
Attendance incentives: A monthly incentive of up to 600 shekels ($160) will be given to workers who do not miss any work during the month, as well as an annual incentive of 1,000 shekels ($270) for workers who use less than 10 total sick days during the year.
Kindergarten teacher substitute pay: A teacher’s aide who serves as a substitute for a kindergarten teacher will be entitled to 200 shekels ($50) each day in addition to the regular salary.
Vacation schedule: The vacation schedule will be aligned with that of the Ministry of Education. Teachers’ aides will receive additional compensation for work during summer break and holiday vacations (Hanukkah and Passover break in the Jewish sector and winter and spring break in the Arab sector).
Additional benefits in the agreement: Teachers’ aides will receive an annual clothing allowance. The reform also introduces an academic training course for teachers’ aides that will be heavily subsidized by employers.
The agreement was signed at the Histadrut House in the presence of Histadrut Chair Arnon Bar-David; Union of Clerical, Administrative, and Public Service Employees Chair Gil Bar-Tal; acting Histadrut Chair Roei Yaakov; Federation of Local Authorities Chair Haim Bibas; Finance Ministry Director General Shlomi Heisler; Senior Deputy to the Ministry of Finance Salary Commissioner Yoni Pat; and Head of Labor and Wage Agreements at the Federation of Local Authorities Hagit Magen. The ceremony was attended by educational supporters from around the country.
Histadrut Chair Arnon Bar-David described the agreement as bringing “great news to tens of thousands of workers, with a dramatic increase in wages, unique grants, professional training and an effective promotion mechanism.”
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that the agreement is “good news not only for education supporters, but for all parents in the state of Israel,” noting that better working conditions for teachers’ aides will improve children’s education. He also said that the agreement “brings stability to another sector and continues to strengthen Israel’s economic resilience."
Haim Bibas, chair of the Federation of Local Authorities, said that the agreement will help the Israeli education system recover.
“The new agreement improves all aspects of employment and wages for all teachers’ aides, without exception, and corrects a longstanding injustice,” he said.
Gil Bar-Tal, chair of the Union of Clerical, Administrative, and Public Service Employees, said that the agreement “aligns the sacred work of teachers’ aides with the status they deserve,” transforming the job into a profession with the possibility of advancement and continued development.
“I congratulate the teachers’ aides, and promise that the Union of Clerical, Administrative, and Public Service Employees will continue to accompany them all the way,” he said.
Finance Ministry Director General Shlomi Heisler said that the agreement “proves the importance we see in supporting early childhood education and working with our children.”
Commissioner of Wages and Labor Agreements at the Ministry of Finance Effie Malkin said that the agreement “demonstrates the ability of parties to take part in collective labor relations, given a common goal, trust and professionalism, to bring about achievements that serve all parties.”
This article was translated from Hebrew by Leah Schwartz.
