Barristers specializing in criminal law have voted to go on strike over the funding of legal aid, with court walkouts expected for several days from next week.
The Criminal Bar Association (CBA), which represents barristers in England and Wales, announced industrial action After the ballots of the members.
The planned walkout comes at a time of significant backlog at Crown Court, involving 58,271 cases.
Lawyers are the latest profession to go on strike as railway workers plan action amid reports of unrest between teaching staff and NHS employers this week.
The CBA said 81.5% of its more than 2,000 members responded by supporting the industrial action.
Joe Sidhu QC and Kirsty Brimello QC from the CBA said: “This extraordinary commitment to the democratic process reflects a recognition among criminal barristers at all levels of the call and on all circuits that the survival of the profession of specialist criminal advocates is at stake. and the criminal justice system that depends so severely on their labor.
“Without immediate action to stop the exodus of criminal barristers from our ranks, the records backlog will cripple our courts, continue to hurt victims and defendants alike, and the public will be deceived.”
The strike action is intended to last four weeks, starting with walkouts on Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 June, increasing to one day each week until a five-day strike from Monday 18 July to Friday 22 July.
This means that cases that require a barrister may have to be adjourned, including a Crown Court trial.
Barristers are expected to strike at picket lines outside courts including the Old Bailey in London and the Crown Court in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds and Manchester.
In April, the CBA began refusing to do “return work” as a gesture of goodwill to boost the justice system — court hearings and other work for coworkers whose cases have ended. has been described.
The CBA said it made “repeated efforts” to get the government to honor the recommendations of the Criminal Legal Aid Review, raising their fees by 15% immediately, but they have been disappointed.
Lawyers have warned The criminal justice system is under threat after the legal aid budget declined by 43% in real terms since 2004-05.
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While ministers have announced a proposed package of reforms and pay hikes after an independent review by former judge Sir Christopher Bellamy, lawyers say an immediate increase in their pay is needed.
The CBA claims that many of its members are being forced to leave the criminal bar after a drop in income of nearly 30% over the past two decades.
It says specialist criminal barristers earn an average annual income after spending £12,200 in the first three years of practice.
Officials say the absence of COVID-19 has skewed the figures, but the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett of Malden, told the Constitution Committee of the House of Lords last month that the judicial system is suffering from a dwindling number of criminal advocates. is battling.