Judicial strike continues; Court workers join in

Mexico CityThe Federal Judicial Branch (PJF) extended its work stoppage in protest against the proposed judicial reform, the discussion of which will begin today in the new legislature in the Chamber of Deputies.

Yesterday, the workers of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) decided to join the protest, although the ministers have not yet taken a position on the matter, with the exception of Minister Lenia Batres Guadarrama, who warned that this high court “does not have the power to suspend its jurisdictional obligations.”

It would be the first strike at the country’s highest constitutional court by decision of the workers, who are expected to announce today when they will begin the suspension of work. They would join the thousands of employees of federal courts and tribunals, including judges and magistrates, who have stopped activities for two weeks in protest against the reform of the PJF.

Until yesterday, the Court had allowed protests and even temporary work stoppages by its workers without consequences.

The decision was the result of a consultation called one day in advance by the College of Young Law Students of the Court and by the College of Secretaries.

It was open to the 3,647 workers who work at the Court, both in the headquarters building on Pino Suárez Street and in the other buildings that are part of that high court. However, less than a third, 1,072, participated in the exercise, of which 951 voted in favor of the suspension of activities, 116 against and there were five abstentions.

The vote took place from 12 to 3 p.m. on the second floor, in the Court’s Murales area, while the 11 ministers held their private and public plenary sessions.

According to sources consulted, it is expected that the workers will try to deliver the result of the vote directly to the Chief Justice, Norma Piña Hernández, or to the full Court, which was summoned for today’s session.

The aim is to exert pressure on the ministers to make a decision on whether to suspend work, since many of those who participated in the consultation are members of their reporting teams.

Until yesterday, the ministers had suspended three public plenary sessions in the last three weeks: the one on August 20, on the grounds that they would analyze the then draft opinion on the reform of the PJF, and the ones on August 27 and 29, due to workers’ demonstrations.

However, Minister Lenia Batres accused that until yesterday the Secretariat of Agreements had not reported on any changes in the agenda for today’s session.

“By the way, I will insist that she does not have the power to suspend her jurisdictional obligations, but rather she is obliged to ensure that the rest of the Judiciary complies with them,” the minister posted on social media.