About: 2022 British barristers' industrial action

On 14 March 2022, the (CBA) in England and Wales voted to undertake industrial action protesting against stagnant fees with 94% of criminal barristers in favour. The industrial action consists of refusal to accept returns—substitution of a new barrister, often at the last minute, when another of them is unavailable to make a trial date—in Advocates' Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS) (legal aid)-funded cases in the Crown Court. The action began on 11 April 2022. Almost 2,500 people are participating in the action. The CBA did not consider the initial action a strike because its members are under no obligation to accept returns, which it calls "a gesture of goodwill to prop up the criminal justice system". Two months later, in June 2022, barristers began an open-ended strike every other week base