The six month long strike at the Haifa Chemical plant in Haifa, Israel, is finally over. Nonpermanent employees will receive a 25 percent increase spread out over five years. Veteran employees will receive a 5 percent increase. However, the plant will not immediately reopen as Haifa must obtain the necessary permits from the Environmental Protection Ministry for toxic substances.
The strike began in early May and the following month management shut down the Haifa plant while production continued at its Mishor Rotem plant in southern Israel. However, in recent weeks the company was forced to buy potassium nitrate and other products from its competitors in order not to lose key customers.