Luanda, Sept. 5, 2025 (Lusa) - The Luanda District Court on Friday decided to suspend the general strike called by workers in public media outlets and state-controlled media, scheduled to begin next Monday, alleging violation of fundamental citizens' rights.

In response to the injunction filed by the management of public media companies, which argued for the guarantee of minimum services during the strike called by the Angolan Journalists' Union (SJA), the Court stated that the SJA's decision "violates" citizens' rights to inform themselves and be informed.

According to the court, the SJA's decision to approve an intermittent strike starting on 8 September without guaranteeing minimum services violates the principles of strike law and restricts citizens' rights, freedoms and guarantees.

The court decided to uphold the injunction filed by the chairmen of the boards of directors of Televisão Pública de Angola (TPA), Edições Novembro, Agência Angola Press (ANGOP), Rádio Nacional de Angola (RNA), TV Zimbo and the leader of the management committee of Grupo Média Nova, and warns of the "consequences" of a possible strike.

According to the applicants, the suspension of services "is unlawful" because the SJA did not formally send the minutes of the meeting that decided on the strike to the employer, as required by law, noting that the strike also affects workers responsible for broadcasting news and information programmes.

On the other hand, they argue that, in calling the strike, the provision of essential minimum services was not ensured, namely the broadcasting of regular news programmes, coverage of events of clear public interest and the dissemination of emergency communications, and that a total stoppage jeopardises citizens' constitutional right to information.

For the court, given the nature of the activities of the media, the strike "would cause irreparable or difficult to repair damage," and it believes there is "a strong probability that the defendants violated the strike law."

The Luanda District Court considers, on the other hand, that the media "is essential to the functioning of society, as it allows the dissemination of information and the transmission of culture and values", urging the SJA to make a broad interpretation of the strike law, stressing that the guarantee of minimum services in the sector "is essential".

With the decision of the workers' assembly to call a general strike in public media companies and those under state control, "with the exception of the provision of minimum or essential services", the court observes that "it is clear that there has been a clear violation of constitutional guarantees" and a restriction of the rights, freedoms and guarantees of citizens.

"On these terms and grounds, I rule on behalf of the people that the present precautionary procedure is admissible, because it has been proven, and, as a result, I order the suspension of the decision contained in the minutes of the workers' assembly of media companies and those under state supervision, embodied in the declaration of the strike," reads the order of the judges of the 1st Section of the Labour Chamber of the Luanda District Court.

Workers at public media companies or under state supervision in Angola decided on Tuesday to go ahead with a general strike, with the first phase taking place next week, demanding a 58% wage increase.

The decision to hold a general strike was unanimously approved at a general meeting led by the SJA, with workers applauding in unison the phased strike until December.

According to the statement released at the end of the meeting, the strike will take place in four phases, the first between 8 and 12 September, the next from 9 to 19 October, the third from 10 to 24 November and the last between 10 and 24 December.

The strike was approved by workers at Rádio Nacional de Angola (RNA), Televisão Pública de Angola (TPA), Edições Novembro (owner of Jornal de Angola, Jornal dos Desportos, Jornal Cultura and Jornal Economia e Finanças), Agência Angola Press, Media Nova (owner of Jornal O País, Rádio Mais and Gráfica Dammer) and TV Zimbo, the latter two already owned by the state as part of the asset recovery process.

At the general meeting, employees expressed "deep dissatisfaction and indignation" at the "non-compliance" with the agreement signed last April, which provided for a 58% salary increase to take effect in August 2025.

The agreement also established retroactive payments for June and July, "which to date have not been implemented without formal justification on the part of the employers," the statement read.

DAS/AYLS // AYLS

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