MADRID – The strike of the lawyers of the administration of Justice has finally ended after two months. The Justice Department’s lawyers overwhelmingly supported the Justice Department’s latest proposal.
In this proposal, a salary increase of between €430 and €450 per month as an efficiency bonus has been promised. The agreement means an end to the strikes that have paralysed the Spanish courts.
The court lawyers’ refusal to work has led to more than 350,000 court actions being suspended, more than 420,000 claims awaiting treatment and more than €1.2 billion in blocked accounts from courts and tribunals.
Not only that, the paralysis caused by the lawyers’ strike has unleashed a wave of law firm closures. Numerous law firms across Spain had to decide in recent weeks to halt their activities. The blockade of the lawsuits caused economic problems. Furthermore, some offices were only able to do 10% of normal work.
Related post: Chaos in Spanish justice system due to strike lawyers
Except for cases with a prisoner, alimony and divorce cases, or urgent cases, the courts have not heard any other filed cases since January 24. The striking professionals, formerly known as clerks, wanted more salary based on the many new tasks they had been given since a reform in the performance of their duties, without being paid extra.
Majority accept offer
In the end, 76% of lawyers voted in favour of the agreement and 21% voted against it. The agreement will be ratified on Tuesday during the meeting that the associations will hold at the Ministry of Justice.
The wage increase will cost the Justice Department an extra 22 million euros
The increase will be passed on in the payroll of the LAJ in three instalments: 40% with retroactive effect to January 1 of this year, 40% to be received from January 1 next year and the remaining 20% from 1st July 2024. This increase represents a global item for Justice of €22 million per year.
Related post: Lawyers Strike Continues to Failed Negotiations
