A note from the AJA, which Lusa had access to, states that the association has followed the court staff strike, which has been running since March 20, expressing solidarity with the stoppage.
According to the AJA, the grounds that led the judges and public prosecutors to take to the streets in protest on July 31, 2021 and, more recently, on March 1, on the occasion of the opening of the judicial year, have the to do with many of the demands of the Union of Officials of Justice of Angola (SOJA).
Therefore, the board of AJA, following the meeting between the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSMJ) and SOJA, on the 20th, which ended without an agreement, called on the parties to "quickly" return to the negotiating table and find a solution "on the basis of the principle of fairness".
The appeal of the AJA goes towards "guaranteeing the return to normality of the courts of first instance, due to the negative implications that may arise, reflected in procedural delays, at a time when the new judicial year is starting".
In the note, AJA emphasizes that "the strike has constitutional dignity, raised to the category of fundamental rights and included in the list of individual and collective freedoms".
"Whoever exercises this right cannot be the target of coercion or persecution of any kind. Different from that, the exercise of a right that constitutes a means of struggle for the materialization of workers' claims must be respected", highlights the document.
SOJA denounced, last week, that the striking employees received intimidation from the employer in order to stop the strike.
The bailiffs have been demanding, for some years, better working conditions, career promotions, approval of a new remuneration statute, lack of transport for diligences, subsidies and incentives at court level.
