“As representatives of Hadash, the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality – Communist Party of Israel, in the Knesset, we declare our solidarity with workers taking part in Haifa Chemicals strike”, said a message publied yesterday, Tuesday, by MKs Muhammad Barakeh, Hanna Swaid, Afo Agabaryie and Dov Khenin. “Our support for the Haifa Chemicals workers is in the tradition of class solidarity. We know that their fight for a decent life is our fight too”.
A solidarity meeting, with the participation of Hadash MKs and activists will be held next Thursday, June 30, in front of the factory at Haifa Bay. The Communist Party of Israel (CPI) launched on Sunday an international solidarity campaign with the strike. On May Day workers at the Haifa Chemical Inc. (internationally known as “Haifa”) went on strike.
A workers meeting at Haifa Chemicals (Photo: Al Ittihad)
Haifa Chemicals Ltd. is the world’s largest manufacturer and marketer of potassium nitrate, an essential fertilizer for modern intensive agriculture. Using an original process, the company converts locally produced potash and phosphate rock into products of high added value: potassium nitrate, and other soluble fertilizers, phosphoric acid and phosphate salts for use in agriculture, industry and as processed food ingredients. The company also manufactures a diverse line of other fertilizers for agriculture. Established in 1966, Haifa Chemical was privatized and now is wholly owned by an American holding company controlled by the Trump group.
The workers are demanding better conditions and higher wages. They want to overcome the cuts the management have forced them to accept over the past 15 years. An historic and lengthy strike was brutally defeated in that factory in 1997. Now the gap in pay scales between the workers hired before 1998 and “newer” workers has to be overcome.
The workers and their union, Power to the Workers, are also demanding fixed union contracts for all workers who work there regularly. That means kicking out the subcontractors and offering all their workers full employment. These demands mean overcoming the divisions the management has built between the workers. Two days before May Day, the management confronted a negotiating meeting with the Workers’ Committee and unilaterally declared steps to fire some workers and relocate facilities to its separate Southern factory.
The CPI has supported the striking workers, attended their demonstrations, and carried articles about it in its press, in order to raise public awareness and advocate solidarity with the strike. Members of the CPI Central Committee, who were members of the leadership of the Histadrut (Federation of Labour in Israel), took part in the sit-ins and assemblies of the striking workers, along with members of the Haifa City Council, elected on behalf of the CPI, who were also in attendance.
The CPI appeal to unions and workers inside Israel but also internationally to express solidarity with the Haifa workers strike with letters, visits, donations. Solidarity vigils locally and internationally will be very helpful.
Please, send protest letters to the CEO of Haifa Chemicals, Nadav Shachar, P.O.B. 10809, Haifa 26120, Israel. Telephone: + 972-4-8469614, Fax: 972-4-8450588, E-Mail: info@haifachem.com
Perhaps another Haifa Chemicals branch or subsidiary is situated in your country:
Belgium: Hi-Chem NV, General Manager: Maarten Roelofs , Generaal de Wittelaan 17, bus 16, B-2800 Mechelen, Belgium . Contact details: tel : + 32-15 270811; fax: + 32-15 270815; e-mail: info@hichem.be
: Duclos International, General Manager : Cyril Fructuoso, Avenue de la Républiqe, 34400 Lunel Viel. Contact details: Tel: +33-467-835070; Fax: +33-467-836054; E-mail: duclos@duclos.fr
Italy: Hi-Agri srl, General Manager : Pierluigi Rigatelli, Viale Gozzadini 13, 40124 Bologna. Contact details: Tel: +39-051-33801; Fax: + 39-051-581155; E-mail: hafax@hi-agri.it
Spain: Fertilizantes Quimicos S.A. (FERQUISA), General Manager: Alfonso Jaen Padilla, C/ Gonzalo de Cordoba 2-2o, 28010, Madrid. Contact details: Tel: +34-91-5912138 , Fax: +34-91-5912552 , E-mail: office@ferquisa.es
: Haifa NutriTech (HNT) Inc., CEO: Marc Lebl, 307 Cranes Roost Blvd, Suite 2030, Altamonte Springs, Florida 32701. Contact details: Tel/Fax: +1-(407) 862 6400; Toll-free: 1-(800) 649 4944, E-mail: hnt-info@hntusa.com
: Haifa Chemicals México, S.A. de C.V., General Manager: Carlos Fernandez Castello, Ibsen No. 40-201, Col Polanco, 11560 México, D.F. Contact details Tel: +52-55-52804304, Fax: +52-55-52809015, E-mail: haifamexico@fcint.com.mx
Haifa Quimica do Brasil Ltda, General Manager : Sergio Steinberg, Rua Batatais, 391 11° andar CJ 111/113 CEP: 01423-010, Sao Paulo-SP. Contact details: Tel: +55-11-30571239, Fax: +55-11-30570542, E-mail: haifabr@haifabr.com.br
South Africa: Haifa Chemicals R.S.A, General Manager: Dawie Fourie, P.O.B 1409, 18 Viben Street, Unit 5, Brackenfell 7560. Contact details Tel: +27-21-9820309, Fax: + 27-21-9817637, E-mail: haifasa@haifasa.co.za
: Haifa Chemicals China, General Manager Ms. Peng Bo, Room 602, Building D, Java Millennium Place, No. 18, Jianwai Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing, P.R.China, 100022 . Contact details Tel: +86-10-65150827, Fax: + 86-10-6515071, E-mail: haifachem@china.com
Australia: Haifa Chemicals Australia Pty Limited (HCA), General Manager Mr. Trevor Dennis, Unit 14, 328 Reserve Rd, Cheltenham, Victoria. Postal address: PO Box 224 Southland 3192. Contact details Tel: +61-3-9583 4691, Fax: +61-3-9585 3640, E-mail: info@haifaaustralia.com.au
