22.01.09 - 15:36 -
DECISION. Malaga province judges and magistrates met yesterday in the city's Ciudad de la Justicia court buildings. / ANTONIO SALAS
In a meeting yesterday in Malaga's Ciudad de la Justicia court buildings it was announced that the Malaga city and provincial judges would down tools on February 18th along with their colleagues in Madrid and other large cities. The Malaga judges have not ruled out joining in with the second one day strike planned for June 26th to which other regions have already committed.
In a statement read out by head judge Manuel Caballero-Bonald the judges said that they were exercising their right to strike and were demanding more resources and reforms in the justice system from the Government. At the same time the judges are asking for an increase in staff numbers and reduced workloads. In Spain there are 10 judges for every 100,000 inhabitants as opposed to the 24 in Germany and the 17 in Portugal. The number is even lower in Malaga where there are only 8, which is well below the Andalucía average of 9.4.
Yesterday 72 of the 95 judges who attended the meeting voted in favour of the strike.
