Armenian Court Staffers on Strike To Demand Pay Rise

YEREVAN — Employees of Armenia’s Administrative Court went on strike on Monday to demand higher wages.

The strike reportedly forced many judges of the court dealing with civil lawsuits to delay or cancel scheduled hearings. It was not clear how many of its staffers walked out.

Armenia’s Judicial Department effectively backed their demands, saying that it  “has repeatedly raised this painful issue at various levels” and that “appropriate state bodies” have been looking into the matter.

“We hope that judicial officers will continue their work responsibly and, in case that is impossible due to personal circumstances, will carry out their service in higher-paid sectors until a systemic solution is found the wage problem,” read a statement released by the agency subordinate to the Supreme Judicial Council.

The striking staffers did not issue statements or had their representatives meet with the press. The extent of the pay rise demanded by them was not clear either.

Both the current and former Armenian authorities have repeatedly increased the salaries of judges over the last two decades, turning them into the country’s highest-paid state officials. But court staffers have remained underpaid just like many other public sector employees.