Judicial workers have suspended their strike of nearly two months until the new year, announced their trade union leader Thursday.
The remaining judicial strikers, who have continued their protest despite a previously made agreement with the government, are temporarily lifting their strike until January 21, according to newspaper El Espectador.
In the meantime, workers and the government will attempt to reach an agreement, claimed Nelson Cantillo, a dissident leader of judicial branch union (Asonal), in order to comprehensively end the strike that has been going on since October 11.
The judicial workers began their strike over the size of their budget and leveling of wages, in particular the disparity between the pay for low level magistrates and higher judges. The strike has paralysed many Colombian courts for weeks with a faction of the workers continuing the strike despite an agreement made between Asonal representative and the government some weeks ago.
According to the government, many courts and judicial services have already returned to normal since the agreement that was signed on November 7 by Otalvaro and Colombia’s Minister of Justice.