Malawi Judiciary employees have started a strike today to force government to approve a review of their conditions of service.
Among others, the workers want their allowances and monthly salaries to be raised.
Judiciary Union President, Charles Lizigeni, said terms of conditions for members of staff for the Judiciary are reviewed every three years and the last review was in 2018
However, government through the Ministry of Finance has not approved the 2021 review and the workers want this to be done.
In November, Lizigeni wrote the ministry to inform it that they will be withdrawing their labour starting on 10 December after getting tired of the ministry’s promises to look into their concerns.
Lizigeni has since stated that the courts will not be operating until government responds to their calls.
Meanwhile, the Blantyre High Court has been closed by the workers. Lawyers, police officers and Judiciary clients are not being allowed to enter.
Speaking to the local media, Malawi Law Society (MLS) president Patrick Mpaka has urged authorities to resolve the standoff because people are being denied the right to access justice.
He has also expressed concern that the strike is being staged at a time the Supreme Court was set to deliver a couple of pending judgements.
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Malawi24
