ACT Finance Spokesman MP Rodney Hide today reiterated his criticism of Government-funded perks for bureaucrats who are members of a Labour-friendly union.

"People should get leave entitlements and pay because of the work they do, not which union they belong to," Mr Hide said.

"It is galling that the Public Service Association (PSA) is today crowing over their seedy deal with the Government to give Courts Department workers extra holidays if they become union members.

"The PSA is in deep trouble - they simply do not have a mandate. Less than forty percent of Courts Department staff are members. So the PSA is relying on friendly Government ministers to dish out perks and money in order to get members they can't get on their own. It suits ministers because the PSA beats the drum for the Labour Party.

"By the PSA's own admission, only about a quarter of staff actually voted for this deal. The other three-quarters are horrified," Mr Hide said.

Yesterday, Rodney Hide revealed the leave arrangement at the Department of Courts, and two other deals:

· Jim Sutton has had to admit that Ministry of Agriculture employees who join the PSA get an extra 0.5 percent pay.

· George Hawkins has confirmed that PSA members at Internal Affairs recently received a one-off, taxpayer-funded payment of between $300 and $600 - a gift solely for PSA members.

"Why should staff get paid more for joining a Labour friendly union? This is corruption.

"I am appalled that the PSA is even attempting to say that this sleazy deal is "not a perk". If it is not available to everyone, then it is most clearly a perk.

"State Services Minister Trevor Mallard and Prime Minister Helen Clark must declare where they stand on this issue. They built an entire campaign around condemning perks and payouts. Is it okay to make a sleazy deal with a union? If it isn't, why is it so widespread in Helen Clark's own Minister's departments?

"Civil servants with ethics are being punished for not joining the PSA. A perk for some is a punishment for others, and this just isn't fair," concluded Rodney Hide.

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