Nationwide Teacher Strike: Tel Aviv Labor Court Orders Immediate End to Wildcat Strike by Teachers

The Tel Aviv Labor Court issued a decisive ruling on Tuesday, ordering teachers and kindergarten teachers across the country to "immediately return to regular, full and proper work" and to cease any further disruptions — including the coordinated use of sick leave as a form of protest.

The court labeled the protest a “wildcat strike” and instructed the Teachers’ Union to exercise its authority to ensure a full return to normal operations in the education system.

 Use of Sick Leave Is Coordinated Strike Action

The ruling followed an urgent petition filed late Monday night by the State Attorney’s Office. Attorneys Daniel Passi and Maiter Ben Abu, representing the state, called for an immediate court order prohibiting the use of sick days as a strike tool and declaring the action illegal.

The state claimed that, despite a prior court order prohibiting further labor actions while negotiations were ongoing, numerous teaching staff members collectively failed to report to work, submitting coordinated sick leave notices.

“The result is that many educational institutions remained closed,” the state argued. “This constitutes a collective, organized action undertaken without the consent of the Teachers’ Union, to influence changes to proposed salary reductions.”

Court: Protest Actions Harm Public 

In a sharply worded decision, a panel led by Vice President Judge Osnat Robovitz-Barbash accepted the state’s request. The court emphasized the significant disruption and harm caused to parents and students due to the unauthorized protest.

“This action violates the tribunal’s previous decision and the parties’ agreements,” the court stated. “Negotiations are still ongoing, and all organizational measures were ordered frozen. Teaching staff must act accordingly.”

The court reiterated that only the recognized representative union — in this case, the Teachers’ Union — is authorized to initiate a strike or other labor actions. “An individual employee or a group of employees cannot independently engage in collective action,” the ruling stated. “Such actions constitute a wildcat strike and are therefore illegal.”

The court specifically addressed the use of sick leave as a coordinated form of protest. It noted that prior rulings have established that mass issuance of inauthentic sick certificates amounts to illegal collective action.

Supporting documents submitted by the state showed that groups of educators had submitted identical or near-identical sick leave notices, some even stating: “We are all on a sick day.”

The court concluded that this pattern confirms the protest was organized and unlawful.

Teachers' Union Held Accountable

Although the strikers themselves were not named in the court proceedings, the Teachers' Union — as the legally recognized representative body — was held responsible. The union is now required to ensure compliance with the ruling and to reinstate full and uninterrupted operations in schools and kindergartens.

A senior official at the Ministry of Finance welcomed the decision, stating, “We received an excellent ruling.”

The decision dealt a significant blow to the protest movement within the education sector, which had been mounting resistance against proposed salary changes through unofficial and unauthorized work stoppages.