The civil servants union CSIF has spoken about the situation created by the strike of lawyers from the Justice Ministry within the Administration of Justice. After six weeks of industrial action, the union expressed concern that the indefinite strike has already stretched on far too long. CSIF emphasized that this matter is of great social importance and should be resolved through dialogue without further delay. In its view, the core issues touch on the rights and freedoms of citizens and the health of the economy, which is still reeling from the pandemic and relies on the Justice Administration to function reliably. As negotiations with the Ministry of Justice resume this Monday, Alicante Province reports a strike participation rate of 78.8 percent.
CSIF argued that the exercise of the right to strike must be respected and urged the parties involved to reach a compromise to resolve a problem that is growing deeper by the day. The union warned that the ongoing crisis threatens the efficacy of the Justice Administration. It pointed out that the functional distribution within judicial bodies does not match the needs of a modern administration, noting that many tasks carried out by the Legal Aid and other judicial units are delegated to and performed daily by the general administration teams without appropriate recognition. CSIF stressed that this is a fundamental issue, not a matter simply of opinion.
CSIF recalled that the suspension of trials due to the absence of the LAJ has been in place since 2009 and was previously exempted when LAJ members were known as forensic secretaries. The union argued that such suspensions are unjustified and should be reconsidered in light of current regulations and practical realities.
suspension of trials
CSIF maintained that several points being circulated are inaccurate and deserve clarification. One contested claim is that the LAJ has no room for negotiation. The union asserted that existing regulations, including the Organic Law on Union Freedom, the continuation of Article 31, and the Consolidated Text of the Public Servants’ Basic Statutes, do provide space for negotiation. It also rejected the assertion that the judiciary conducts ninety percent of its work by the LAJ, describing it as false and unfair to other civil servants within the judicial office. The union noted that many LAJ functions are delegated or carried out daily by the general administration bodies of Justice, and that these contributions deserve recognition.
The CSIF recognizes the reorganization of functions within the judiciary and the acknowledgment of labor and wages as part of refining judicial procedures. The union warned not to lose sight of the paradox of complaints about slow justice, where a single transaction may require thirty or forty sign-offs and where procedural decisions often accumulate. The broader point is that efficiency and fairness in administration must go hand in hand with proper recognition of staff roles.
In its approach to a resolution, CSIF proposed starting from the union contract established in December 2021. The union suggested that the agreement could serve as a solid foundation for addressing improved working conditions, from frontline population groups to custody personnel and those advancing within careers or productivity. In the context of organizational and functional change, CSIF argued that a path toward better public service delivery could emerge, benefiting citizens while also recognizing the dedication and potential of justice personnel who support operations inside courthouses and other justice facilities. This approach is presented as a pragmatic way to balance service quality with workforce wellbeing, aligning modern labor standards with the realities of public administration.