Some justice to the cause – Josef Vella

A court has reportedly heaped praise on a strike breaker during an ongoing industrial dispute involving UĦM Voice of the Workers and the Attorney General’s Office. The latter is at loggerheads with this union over a new collective agreement which was due to be wrapped up, were it not for government’s decision to halt talks in the aftermath of the general election announcement.

Though I am not privy to what was said in the courtroom, it has been reported that Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech praised a lawyer from the AG’s office for attending sittings instead of his colleagues who are currently on strike, in line with UĦM’s directive. The magistrate reportedly took umbrage after the striking lawyers notified the court of their absence by e-mail but not by formal communication.

Given that what has been reported is true, strike-breaking action is of concern as such course of action undermines the collective efforts of colleagues who are, after all, striving to improve their conditions of work. It is worth noting that since October 2020, lawyers at the AG’s office have been given added responsibilities as a result of a reform whereby they are taking over some criminal prosecutions...