(Bloomberg) — Britain’s criminal trial lawyers narrowly voted to end their indefinite strike action after agreeing to a fresh government offer to boost pay and investment in the sector.
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The Criminal Bar Association, which represents thousands of barristers in England and Wales, said Monday that around 57% of its members voted in favor of ending the action. The CBA has over 3,500 members and there was a total of 2,605 votes, according to a statement on its website.
The deal brings to an end months of disruption at courts across the countries that lead to a record backlog of criminal cases.
“Goodwill of criminal barristers is exhausted,” the CBA said. “The long-term reform does depend on continuing, constructive engagement with government. Otherwise, our members remain ready to act again.”
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The deal put on the table represents a further investment of £54 million ($60 million) and a rise of 15% in fees for most current and future criminal cases.
The strike will officially end at 5 p.m. in London on Monday, meaning that lawyers and judges will be back in court Tuesday.
“This breakthrough is a result of coming together and restarting what I hope to be a constructive relationship as we work to drive down the backlog and ensure victims see justice done sooner,” Brandon Lewis, Justice Secretary, said.
An end to the strikes comes almost a month after barristers walked out indefinitely, escalating demands that the government improve its original offer. Britain’s justice system has been thrown into chaos in recent years with chronic underfunding, a backlog of cases and junior lawyers who earn well below the minimum wage.
(Updates with CBA statement in the fourth paragraph)
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