The Labor Unions of the Social Security Service (CCSS) negotiated and reached an agreement with the authorities of the CCSS and the Government to return to their work this Monday, October 9, after a month of striking.

The negotiations involved close to ten hours of negotiations and will allow the public hospitals and health centers to resume normal operations.

The strike caused the suspension of 3,552 surgeries and over 111 thousand appointments, in addition to unplanned expenses to handle payments for workers that took on extra hours, and the outsourcing of services like laundry and food services.

Back on October 1st, the strike by workers at the CCSS was declared illegal by the labor court, the judge considered health services essential and therefore that employees are forbidden to join a movement that affects the general population.

The government had given time through this Saturday for labor unions. The main condition was to go back to work in exchange for certain guarantees for the employees that participated on the strike.

“The CCSS will not have any discriminatory conducts, disciplinary sanctions or reprisals against the workers that participated peacefully in the general strike movement that began September 10. Interim workers will not be let go, their appointment will not be cut and they will not be affected directly or indirectly in any way for their participation on the strike In addition, they will continue working in the same position they had when the strike started following the current norms of the institution”, reads one of the points of the agreement.

According to the Ministry of Work, if, after resolving the appeals the labor court confirms the declaration of illegality and the sentence is firm, the parts will meet to determine the administrative measures established by law.