Eight of the ten barristers voted to boycott a new proceeding in a long-term dispute between the criminal bar association and the government over litigation funding. They also believe that the extra time taken to accommodate the increasing case load will not be reflected in takeaway payments.
The Criminal Bar Association (CBA), which represents barristers in England and Wales, said about 81.5 percent of more than 2,000 members supported the walkout. Most of the supporters of the strike then voted for the option to reject new strikes as well.
Barristers are the latest profession to strike in reports of continued anxiety between education staff and NHS employees following last week’s actions by railroad workers.
Here’s everything you need to know about strike actions.
Why are barristers on strike?
The Criminal Bar Association said the offer to raise the fee by 15% does not apply to the unprocessed proceedings in the Criminal Court, as it does not apply to the 58,000 unprocessed proceedings in the Criminal Court.
Revenues have fallen by 30% over the last 20 years, professional barristers have increased their average annual salary after paying only £ 12,200 for the first three years of practice, and 22% of barristers have retired since 2016. Did.
A barrister who participated in the strike said he would be paid less than the minimum wage for a court hearing, given the time spent traveling and preparing.
Jo Sidhu QC, chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, said the action wasn’t just about wages, it “helped to correct the shortage of barristers and deal with the crisis in court.”
“Since 2006, we have already suffered an average 28% decline in real income, and the median junior income in practice for the first three years is only £ 12,200 below the minimum wage,” he said. Told.
How long have they been on strike?
The strike will begin on Monday, June 27th and Tuesday, June 28th, and will continue for four weeks, increasing by one day each week, from Monday, July 18th to Friday, July 22nd, for a five-day strike.
There are picket lines in the Criminal Courts of London (Old Bailey), Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds and Manchester.
What will happen to the trial?
Cases that require a lawyer, including the Criminal Court trial, are likely to be postponed.
According to data from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), 567 cases were postponed in a hurry last year because the prosecution or defense counsel did not attend or was working on another case. This is a five-fold increase from the 114 cases postponed for the same reason. 2011.
As of April 2022, there were 358,076 unresolved cases in the Magistrates’ Court and 58,271 unresolved cases in the Criminal Court, according to the latest figures from the HM Courts and Tribunals Service.
What does the government say about barrister strikes?
Justice Minister Dominic Raab said the strike was “regrettable” and “only delayed the justice of the victims.”
Rab said: “It’s a shame that the Criminal Bar Association is impressive given only 43.5% of the members who voted for this particular most destructive option.
“I encourage them to agree to the proposed 15 percent salary increase, which would make a typical barrister earn about £ 7,000 more a year.”
However, a CBA spokesman said the salary increase would not land immediately, as it does not apply to untreated cases.Such Another barrister Put it: “Let’s meet outside the courtroom.”