Lawyers and legal procurators at the Attorney General’s Office have resorted to industrial action “in the wake of the management’s refusal to start talks on a collective agreement,” UHM Voice of the Workers said.

UHM said it won official recognition for these professionals in September of last year.

“In the absence of any collective agreement and in view of the impact which the Venice Commission reform had on their duties, the union requested talks for an agreement on a financial package reflecting this reality. It seems, however, that the management of the Attorney General’s Office is refusing to negotiate increases for these professionals. Consequently, at the start of December, UHM registered an industrial dispute and requested the management and the Government to reconsider their position. Unfortunately, this request was neither acknowledged nor honoured.”

The union said the refusal prompted it to give notice of industrial action, as from Thursday 14 January 2021. In view of this lawyers and legal procurators at the Attorney General’s Office are not performing certain duties related to their role as prosecutors and other functions. In the absence of any agreement, this could lead to their absence from the law courts, it said.

“Such industrial action could escalate if management keeps adopting this approach,” the union warned.

It said that by law unions have every right to negotiate on behalf of their members and failure to hold these talks would constitute a serious shortcoming by the Attorney General who is bound to abide by the law.