Workers at Haifa and Ashdod ports have agreed to end a strike beginning 10 May which resulted in labour shortages and an ignored court order.

The workers agreed to adhere to a back-to-work order issued by the National Labor Court after the heads of the state-owned Ashdod and Haifa Ports workers’ labour committee, Histadrut, failed to appear for a hearing last week.

Globes reported that speaking on the decision not to publish decisions on the contempt of court petitions and on injunctions relating the ports, deputy president of the court Ilan Itah, said: "On the basis of the statement by the heads of the workers committees on the intention to restore the ports to regular operation immediately and fully, and on view of the fact that they worked to that end since the previous night, we have reached the conclusion that at this stage the hearing should be closed, and the workers committee heads should be allowed to continue their efforts to get the ports back to work.”

Although workers have returned the ports, which have been left with a backlog of cargo, it is not clear whether they have resumed work.

A report on the return to work and a report on output by the workers at the ports, has been ordered by the court, said Globes.

A further hearing is expected to take place on Tuesday 15 May, when a decision will be handed down on the petitions concerning contempt of court filed by the two ports, after the workers at the ports refused to comply with court orders to end their strikes.

The strikes are believed to primarily concern pay disputes.