The Israel Chemicals (TASE: ICL: NYSE: ICL) workers committees, management of the group, and Histadrut (General Federation of Labor in Israel) representatives are renewing their negotiations today in a attempt to settle the ongoing crisis at the company. Talks between the sides are taking place in the Histadrut offices in Tel Aviv.
Avner Ben-Senior, chairman of the workers committee at Israel Chemicals subsidiary Bromine Compounds, told "Globes" shortly before the renewal of negotiations, "Our point of departure is that nothing has changed. We’ll agree to cost-cutting at the Israel Chemicals factories, but we absolutely refuse to accept major lay-offs." Bromine Compounds, located in Neot Hovav, has been shut down by strikes since early February. Dead Sea Works, another Israel Chemicals subsidiary, has been shut down about a month.
The layoff letters sent by Israel Chemicals management to workers at the two plants, have been suspended by management under an agreement achieved last week at the end of a discussion by the group's leaders, the Histadrut, and the workers in the presence of National Labor Court President Judge Yigal Plitman. Following this agreement, the Histadrut called off its plans for a general strike in the south, after already having declared a labor dispute in solidarity with the Israel Chemicals workers. The strike at the two plants is continuing, despite the renewal of negotiations.
Israel Chemicals IL CEO Avner Maimon and HR head Ehud Nitzan are representing the company in the talks, while Ben-Senior and Dead Sea Works workers’ committee chairman Armand Lankri are representing the workers. Histadrut Negev District chairman Meir Babioff is representing the workers.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 18, 2015
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