Israel Chemicals (TASE: ICL: NYSE: ICL) management is taking steps to break the workers committee, according to conversations between the company and one of its major customers, details of which were obtained by "Globes."
A conference call took place between Charles Weidhas, CEO of Israel Chemicals subsidiary Bromine Compounds, and the CEO of one of Israel Chemicals' largest and oldest customers on March 3 at 1 PM. On that same day, Israel Chemicals held talks with the workers committee under the mediation of Minister for the Development of the Negev and Galilee Silvan Shalom, but the talks were discontinued two days later. The conference call, in which senior executives on both sides took part, resulted from a shortage of the products supplied by Bromine Compounds to that customer, caused by the strike at the company.
The following quotes appear in a memorandum about the conversation involving the customer, which was obtained by "Globes" and which is now being published exclusively in "Globes": "They (Israel Chemicals management, A.B.) were not very encouraged by the current situation." This is the first thing stated by Charley (Weidhas, A.B.), who was very direct and serious. "They are trying to break the workers' committee, and have no intention of changing their position in the negotiations."
Great concern is expressed in the memorandum, due to the statements by Israel Chemicals managers, because no negotiations with the workers committee are even taking place, and because Israel Chemicals management does not believe that the negotiations will be renewed until after the elections in Israel.
Israel Chemicals said in response, "The statements quoted by a third party attributing to Charley what was written are inaccurate, and are far removed from reality. Israel Chemicals respects the workers' right to organize, and has no intention of harming organization of workers at the plants. Israel Chemicals calls on the committees to return to the negotiations without prior conditions in order to achieve a solution to the labor dispute and consensual implementation of the cost cutting plan, as a result of negotiations."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 11, 2015
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