An agreement for a cost-of-living increase was signed this afternoon, following a midnight meeting between Histadrut Labor Union chief MK Amir Peretz and Oded Tira, President of the Industrialists Association. The agreement states that all those earning a salary will be paid, beginning next month, a 2.1% increase on the first 3,260 shekels of their monthly salaries - for a grand total of 68.46 shekels per month. They will receive the same increase on the remainder of their wages, up to 7,700 monthly shekels, beginning in Jan. 2004. Annual inflation of 8% or more will lead to another 1.4% c-o-l increase. The agreement means the end of the government workers' strike, although the municipal employees' strike is continuing.