First there were partial strikes, then total strikes, and from May 22 the justice officials’ strike will be indefinite if the ministry does not submit an economic proposal to the unions that would allow them to open negotiations. This is not only a concern for this group, but for the judges and prosecutors who have been promised a raise comparable to that of the lawyers within Justice. They have not yet started their protest. Nearly one hundred judicial officials attended a gathering at Alicante’s Plaza de la Montañeta this Thursday, calling for “fair pay” and causing disruptions to the parliamentary functioning of the Law Organizational Efficiency Organization in front of the Subordinate Committee of Government (LOEO).
The concentration coincided with the third full day of this week’s strike, and according to the unions involved INTERNSHIP, UGT, CC OO and CSIF, the strikes rank second in the province of Alicante with an average participation of about 76 percent among authorities. Judicial districts such as Orihuela and Torrevieja report heightened surveillance, and the strikes have led to the suspension of numerous court cases, prosecutions, and other procedures across the system. The officials, who make up 93 percent of the general and special bodies, denounce what they view as discriminatory, class-based treatment by the Ministry of Justice. Meanwhile, the Justice Administration has approved a raise for lawyers exceeding 400 euros, to which an additional 195 euros will be added to increase gains for all staff covered by the unions.
This proposed rise for Legal Assistants would accompany an offer of improvements for judges and prosecutors before the strike began. In contrast, civil servants have not received salary enhancements yet. The unions argued they faced pressure and manipulation, claiming that talks would be possible only if LOEO changes were accepted and career progression arrangements were foregone. They stated that no concessions should undermine the goal of a comprehensive, position-wide salary increase. The unions asked the Government to present a concrete economic proposal for increasing the total compensation of the position and to begin negotiations immediately on this front, as well as to outline the agreed changes to LOEO and to drive forward the negotiated development of the professional career complement.
At the same time, union leaders stressed that the strike would persist until the state demonstrates a clear commitment to fair compensation across the judiciary. They emphasized that the current offers fail to address longstanding pay gaps and structural inequities that have accumulated over years of budgetary adjustments. The situation has created a tense atmosphere in provincial courts, where court staff, clerks, and security officers are coordinating a visible protest that mirrors broader concerns about funding, workload, and the prioritization of judicial independence. The dialogue with the government remains open in theory, but practically it is stalled by demands for a comprehensive framework that ensures predictable, transparent, and merit-based advancement for all members of the justice system. In Alicante, observers note that the public perception of this standoff is shaped by the balance between the need for efficient justice administration and the right of workers to secure a fair remuneration package that reflects their professional responsibilities and societal importance. (Source: LOEO and participating unions)