Prime Minister Ehud Olmert today met with Education Minister Yuli Tamir and Finance Minister Ronnie Bar-On and was updated on the negotiations with the Secondary School Teachers Association (SSTA).  Today's meeting was in continuation of previous meetings on the issue.
 
Prime Minister Olmert is continuously updated on the details of the negotiations and gives full backing to Education Minister Tamir and Finance Minister Bar-On vis-à-vis the conduct of the negotiations.
 
The three ministers call on the SSTA to show responsibility and return to the negotiating table forthwith in order to hold intensive and continuous negotiations so that all Israeli students may benefit from the reforms that the Government decided upon along with tens of thousands of teachers.  The Government decided to add NIS 1 billion for education in general and for teachers' salaries in particular; the SSTA must come and complete the negotiations immediately for the benefit of Israeli students.