Madrid - A debate was rolling in Spain on Thursday on whether an unprecedented strike planned by the country's judges was legal.

Such a way for judges to press their demands was "inadequate" and "disturbing," the prosecutors' association UPF said, while the association Judges for Democracy stressed that the law did not prohibit judges from staging a work stoppage.

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's Socialist government is engaged in a power struggle with the judges, who regard its plans for judicial reform as insufficient.

Four judges' associations are planning a day of protest for February 18 and a strike in June to press demands for higher salaries and better working conditions.

The judges say they struggle under huge workloads.

The increase of court cases has clogged courts which still had 2.5 million cases left to resolve in the end of 2008.

The government says the judiciary is a power of state which cannot go on strike.

Experts on constitutional law disagree on the matter, with some saying the constitution does not directly prohibit such a protest, while others say it would be like the government or parliament going on strike.

The government is seeking negotiations with the judges' associations, and the Socialist Party wants them to appear in parliament.

Judges first started protesting in solidarity with a colleague, Rafael Tirado, who came under criticism for not having jailed a paedophile who then killed 5-year-old Mari Luz Cortes a year ago. (dpa)