SEOUL-- A national courier union agreed Wednesday to end a protracted labor walkout at CJ Logistics Co., South Korea's No. 1 parcel delivery firm, 63 days after unionists launched a strike demanding better working conditions.

Unionized CJ Logistics workers launched the strike in late December, claiming the company has pocketed most of the profits from hikes in recent delivery charges while neglecting its responsibility to prevent unnecessary overwork, part of a deal between the government and the logistics industry reached last year.

The courier union under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, which CJ unionists are a part of, announced that it reached a deal to "immediately suspend the strike" at the company and have workers return to their jobs.

"We are to end the strike immediately and return to our jobs in order to prevent further damage to the country's small businesses and courier industry workers," the union said.

The agreement was reached after several rounds of negotiations since Feb. 23 between the union and the association of CJ Logistics branch offices. Talks had repeatedly fallen through due to differing views on the standard contract of delivery workers.

Along with the lifting of the strike, the two sides agreed to come up with a follow-up deal on areas of contention and finalize it by the end of June.

According to the union, the association also agreed to cooperate in terms of refraining from filing legal complaints against unionists for their actions during the strike. The deal is scheduled to be put to a vote among striking unionists on Thursday.

Source: Yonhap News Agency