Many justice workers in domestic courts are running out of patience with low salaries. The Justice Trade Union (OSJ) has therefore announced a strike alert from Tuesday, April 23. “If the Department of Justice is willing to pay compensation for delays in proceedings in the amount of CZK 100,000,000, it must also prepare for paralyzing the judiciary,” the union states in a notice sent to the Czech Justice Department.
Court representatives point to the long-term low pay of, for example, recorders or senior court officials. Although the Minister of Justice, Pavel Blažek, has been negotiating for a long time to increase funds for civil servants’ salaries and negotiated a partial increase last year, according to court workers, it is still woefully insufficient.
On average, 1,500 to 1,700 crowns gross per month went to extra employees. Salaries are expected to continue to grow and in 2025 reach the level of the average salary in the public sector excluding the salaries of teachers and the armed forces. According to the unions, however, the demanding work of justice workers needs to be evaluated better. “Many of the employees of the judiciary have independent decision-making activities, a huge responsibility and participate in the creation of an independent judiciary,” remind the representatives of the justice unions.
The Union of Judges has previously stated that it will support a possible strike by employees in the judiciary. “The Judges’ Union identifies itself with the legitimate salary demands of judicial administrative staff and points to the collapse in some courts as a result of the departure of employees,” wrote the state association of judges. The Czech judiciary has already informed about the exodus of employees at the courts.
Unions warn that if the situation does not change, a number of courts could be affected by a significant limitation of activity. “If the Department of Justice is willing to pay compensation for delays in the proceedings in the amount of CZK 100,000,000, it must also prepare for the paralyzing of justice, i.e. in further delays from the criminal section to the guardianship section to the execution section, because in the current conditions, when the state is not willing to to pay for a very demanding and professional activity, as is the case in advanced Western civilizations, but it requires this activity to be carried out by employees who are often paid up to the subsistence minimum and dependent on social benefits, unfortunately the enforcement of the right to justice in the Czech Republic will again begin to drag on,” she said for the OSJ committee, chair Anna Pospíšilová. According to her, high-quality employees leave for better-paid and less stressful work.
Presidents of courts approached by the Czech Justice are most worried about a possible strike by recording clerks. At least in the criminal sections, it would be a big problem for the court proceedings. “Government representatives must realize that the courts are the third very important and independent pillar of democracy in the Czech Republic. Even high-quality judges without high-quality administrative staff will not be able to make high-quality, and above all, quick decisions,” the unions conclude.
According to the office, the actual average salary of court employees was 32,800 crowns in 2021. In 2022, it rose to CZK 34,806 and last year to CZK 36,916. According to statistics, the average wage in the Czech Republic reached 43,341 crowns last year.
Eva Paseková
