New strikes to start affecting courts before traditional summer break
The Public Prosecutor’s Office Magistrates’ Union (SMMP) has announced a national strike for July 9 and 10 and regional strikes for July 11, 14 and 15, in support of magistrates’ current woes.
In a statement to Lusa, following the union’s extraordinary General Assembly at the Tivoli Oriente Hotel, in Lisbon’s Parque das Nações yesterday, president of the SMMP, Paulo Lona, told Lusa that the regional strikes will start in Lisbon (July 11) then move to Porto (July 14), Évora and Coimbra (July 15).
The union has also decided to “intensify efforts (…) with a view to making up the great shortage of magistrates that currently exist”, while agreeing to “”resort to other forms of struggle that it deems necessary, namely carrying out other strikes” after the judicial holidays (the month of August).
The catalyst for this latest round of industrial action appears to have been the decision by the Superior Council of the Public Prosecutor’s Office to see professionals combine civil, criminal and family and minors’ courts. SMMP sees this as “the final nail” in their ongoing discontent with the system, effectively doing away with ‘specialisation’ – something they feel is vital to the effective working of Portuguese justice.
Source material: LUSA
