The LAJ demonstrate within the framework of the strike and warn Llop: "We do not call off the call even if we do not eat"

They demand, "today again and with more force than ever, that the Ministry comply with the agreements" reached years ago

MADRID, 9 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Hundreds of lawyers from the Administration of Justice (LAJ) dressed in gowns have demonstrated this Thursday in Madrid in the framework of the indefinite strike that began on January 24 in search of salary improvements that compensate for the workload acquired in the last decade. "We do not call off the call, even if we do not eat," they have warned Minister Pilar Llop between chants, who this week has asked them to present "realistic" proposals at the negotiating table.

"Today, without a doubt, we have once again set a new milestone, with the success of this demonstration, even greater than that of last January 24, it has been a resounding success, from all parts of Spain we have flocked to Madrid en masse more of 1,500 compañeros and compañeras", Luis Toribio, of the strike committee, pointed out at the end of the protest, while assuring that they demand, "today again and with more force than ever, that the Ministry comply with the agreements".

The LAJ have marched from Madrid's Plaza de Callao to the headquarters of the Ministry at number 45 San Bernardo street. On the journey, which has lasted more than an hour and a half, they have carried a coffin with the message inscribed: "Here lies the word of the Ministry of Justice."

Toribio has stressed that the LAJ who support the strike committee tell the minister "very loud and clear" that "enough of excuses", that she "comply with the agreements", and that, if she is not able to keep her word , resign

The demonstrators have been more than average at the gates of Justice, where they have intoned various slogans: "Come out to negotiate, we want to work"; "It is lying to agree and not comply"; and "Another day of mistreated Justice". The chants have been accompanied by dozens of banners containing messages such as: "Rocked to dignity"; "Support for the strike committee"; and "Pilar, stop traveling and start negotiating. BOE or strike."

Just this Thursday, the Minister of Justice is in Brussels at the Justice and Home Affairs Council. Several posters with her face accompanied by a "Wanted" have been displayed at the protest. The demonstration this Thursday was held after the "unsuccessful meetings" that they held last week with the Ministry of Justice.

At the beginning of the demonstration, the representatives of the lawyers responded to the statements made in 'El País' by the Secretary of State for Justice, Antonio 'Tontxu' Rodríguez, about withdrawing functions from the LAJ to avoid a salary increase. "It's a trial balloon to distract us and for our colleagues to adjust," he said.

According to the calculations of the conveners, the conflict already leaves some 300,000 views suspended and close to a billion euros blocked by the stoppage. Everything has its origin in "the lack of salary adaptation to the greater functions and responsibilities attributed by Law 13/2009, discharged to judges, and increased in successive reforms", especially that of 2015, which has caused an "unbearable imbalance".

The conveners point out as a "trigger" of the conflict the agreement that Justice signed in December 2021 with the unions of the general bodies "without properly developing the salary adjustment to the latest procedural reforms provided for in the second paragraph of Additional Provision 157 of the Law 11/2020 of the General State Budget for 2021".

In these seven weeks, the convening associations have registered a participation of between 85% and 73%, while the Ministry has observed between 33.92% and 18.9% follow-up.