More than 4,000 inmates were stuck in their cells across Spain’s Catalonia region on Monday as striking workers blocked entrances to seven major prisons.
The Department of Justice in Catalonia said that inmates in that Spanish province are receiving only basic food and medicine because prison staff are on strike over dangerous working conditions. All other inmate activities, including testifying at trials, meeting with lawyers or being transferred to other prisons, were also suspended.
The strike began after an inmate stabbed a 48-year-old prison cook to death last Wednesday.
The murdered cook was working in Mas d’Enric prison when she was attacked by a convicted murderer, who later committed suicide.
Prison staff said they were horrified by the incident, but not surprised.
The local kitchen staff union told the local newspaper “La Vanguardia” that this murder was not the result of chance, but the result of dangerous working conditions.
“We work directly and unprotected with prisoners armed with knives and other tools that can be used as weapons. Our work is not even classified as very dangerous,” said the union.
One of Spain’s largest trade unions, the UGT, also condemned the increasing number of attacks on prison staff.
However, the main labor unions have not called for a strike, instead, it is a spontaneous labor action.
Gemma Ubasart, Catalonia’s justice minister, said those refusing to work could face disciplinary action because it was not an official strike.
“This is a very worrying situation because it affects the rights and safety of workers and prisoners,” she said.
The Catalan government is considering sending police to prisons to replace workers.
