UK lawyers reject fee increase, go back on strike
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Criminal defense barristers from all courts are participating, and have assembled this morning in the Royal Courts of various regions.
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Criminal barristers walked out of the Criminal Court of Old Bailey in central London on Monday, June 27, 2022 (CBA)
Thousands of UK lawyers walked to picket lines throughout England and Wales to begin a three-day walkout, following a week of action.
Criminal defense barristers from all courts are participating, and have assembled this morning in the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Liverpool Crown Court, Nottingham Crown Court, and Birmingham Crown Court.
Some grew upset while wearing wigs and gowns and carrying banners, insisting they are "not fat cat lawyers."
The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) stated the strike is intended to address a shortage of criminal barristers to assist cope with the country's judicial crisis, after more than a quarter of the staff left in 2017, with 300 leaving only last year.
The attorneys, who are self-employed, will receive a 15% fee increase beginning in September, meaning they will earn £7,000 ($8,507.80) more per year, according to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).
Those on the picket lines, on the other hand, have accused the government of not listening to their worries about the criminal justice system, and are frustrated that the planned 15% increase would not take effect immediately or apply to backlogged cases.
Barristers are self-employed, and while the median pay is £79,800 ($96,988.92), once costs are deducted, this drops to roughly £55,900 ($67,940.86). Furthermore, new criminal barristers might make as little as £9,000 ($10,938.60), while others claim that the extra hours they spend on case preparation cause them to earn less than the minimum wage.
Due to last week's strikes, some courtrooms sat vacant, while others could only swear in jurors before adjourning cases until later in the week when attorneys were available.
According to the CBA, three days of action are scheduled this week, four days the next week, and all five days the week beginning July 18.
'We've had continuing discussions with the Ministry of Justice, but I'm afraid to say the ministers are refusing to discuss with us, to sit around the table and negotiate the way through this problem,' said Jo Sidhu QC, chairman of the Criminal Bar Association.
'And with the situation as bad as it is we've got now a situation within the criminal justice system which is not going to be resolved unless we talk it through.'
'What we're saying to the public is unless the government does enough to reinject funds within the system, we're going to see a lot more people leaving and those victims of crime and defendants who want to prove their innocence won't see their day inside court.' he added.
Vice-chairwoman Kirsty Brimelow QC has cautioned that the Government's proposed fee rise "doesn't go near" settling concerns over pay and conditions, adding that "the money is there" to address the country's courts crisis.
Brimelow told Sky News: 'The Government actually isn't offering 15%. What it's offering is 15% which will reach barristers in around a year or two years.' It is promising a 15% raise that will reach barristers in around a year or two years because the increase will only apply to new cases.
