LONDON: Senior criminal lawyers in England and Wales on Monday went on strike in a dispute over pay, just days after rail workers staged stoppages and other sectors threatened industrial action.
Barristers have threatened a series of walkouts over the coming weeks and to refuse to accept new cases or cover for colleagues as part of the action. The action fuels fears of a "summer of discontent" as a growing number of key worker groups demand pay rises to combat rising inflation, which has hit 9.1 per cent — a 40-year high.
In London, several hundred barristers — some dressed in their trademark horsehair wigs and black gowns — staged a picket outside the Central Criminal Court, known as the Old Bailey.
Other lawyers staged similar actions in five other cities including Cardiff and Manchester.
Some held up placards reading "£12,200 median income in first three years, 300 left last year", in a reference to the pay of the most junior barristers, many of whom are leaving the profession.
Justice Minister Dominic Raab — a former lawyer — hit back, saying the strike action was "regrettable" and would "only delay justice for victims". But the lawyers say the strikes are vital to prevent the already creaking criminal justice system hit by cuts and Covid backlogs from grinding to a halt.
Sarah Jones — a senior barrister or Queen's Counsel (QC) — said unless action was taken now "in five years time there won't be a criminal justice system... there simply won't be anyone to prosecute and defend.
"It means that people who are victims will not have specially trained experts fighting their corner and those accused will not have representation and the system will fail'', she said. — AFP
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
