Justice and PGR officials of Angola recognize strike from March 20

Justice officials and technicians at the Angola Attorney General’s Office (PGR) admit they paralyzed work between March 20 and April 14 in protest at the lack of response to their claims.

“We have come to the conclusion that from March 20 to April 14 next year, the work of these two institutions, namely the Supreme Council of the Judiciary and the PGR, may be suspended,” the secretary general of the Union of Judicial Officers of Angola (SOJA) said this Wednesday. Brito Teixeira, in Lusa, after meeting with the Union of Judicial and Administrative Technicians (Sinteja) of the Angolan PGR.

According to the leader of the union, on Thursday and Friday, both unions will officially communicate their intentions to employers.

Improved working conditions, promotion and approval of a new wage regulation, no subsidies, court-level guarantees and incentives are some of the demands of SOJA and Sinteja.

On February 18, both trade union structures held a march in Luanda in which they complained about the “silence” of the authorities in the face of their concerns.

Regarding Sinteha’s claims, Angolan PGR spokesman Álvaro João told Luza on 28 February that they “have been resolved despite some restrictions”, urging Sinteha to “look into”.

Alvaro Joao noted that during the previous mandate and because of the complaints contained in the list of claims of Sintehi, the Attorney General appointed 148 judiciaries in February to senior positions in various fields.

“Also in 2022, 48 justice technicians were promoted through an open competition, in addition, 402 new justice technicians were selected last year, and 1536 justice technicians and administrative workers were transferred from a career and category,” justified.

On the issue of remuneration, “a 30% subsidy has been made” to judicial officers who perform functions in the SIC (Criminal Investigation Service), a law that was passed in 2012, but which was only implemented last year.