PSA Media Release
November 6, 2009
For immediate use

Justice staff vote to escalate industrial action

Justice Ministry staff who collect fines and work at courts and tribunals throughout the country went on strike for two hours today and voted to continue taking industrial action against being paid less than other public service workers.

During the strike from 10am to midday the workers, who belong to the Public Service Association, attended 19 meetings throughout the country from Kaikohe to Invercargill. At the meetings they voted to begin a new campaign of industrial action that escalates the action.

“These workers are sick and tired of being paid less than rest of the public service despite running something as essential as our justice system,” says PSA national secretary Richard Wagstaff.

“And they’re sick and tired of the Ministry‘s unjust pay system that’s created this pay gap.”

The Ministry’s own figures show that on average Justice workers are paid 6.3% below the pay median for the public service. The under payment is even worse for many Justice staff. The Ministry’s 1200 court registry officers are paid 9.25% below the public service median for the work they do.

Most court registry officers are paid between $39,600 and $46,600 a year. Their highest pay rate is $53,600. Most court registry support officers are paid between $29,500 and $35,000.Their highest pay rate is $40,000.

“Justice workers remain determined to address this underpayment and to fix the unjust pay system that’s created this underpayment,” says Richard Wagstaff.

“That’s why they voted today to continue taking industrial action aimed at getting the Ministry to engage in meaningful negotiations to address their pay problems,” says Richard Wagstaff.

Today’s two-hour strike was the fourth by these Justice workers since they began taking industrial action three and half weeks ago. As well as striking they’ve been continuing to ‘work to rule’ which has involved taking their work breaks together and a ban on working unpaid hours

“The Justice workers’ action to date has shutdown court sittings throughout the country and disrupted other Justice services,” says Richard Wagstaff.

“The new campaign escalates the industrial action. It includes a complete ban on overtime, rolling strikes of varying lengths and action targeting different areas of work at the Ministry of Justice.”

“The workers taking action are determined to have a fair pay system and determined to bridge their pay gap with the rest of the public service.”

“All they want is for the Ministry to engage in meaningful negotiations to develop a just pay system and to close their pay gap with other public service workers in a fair way the Ministry can afford.”

“We’re prepared to look at closing the pay gap in stages to make it affordable for the Ministry.”

“We’ve invited the Ministry to work with us to reduce their costs by finding ways of working more efficiently, identifying and eliminating wasteful spending and improving productivity.”

“This would offset the cost of closing the pay gap and implementing a fair and transparent pay structure.”

“The Ministry says it’s committed to resolving this dispute. So is the PSA and the Justice workers taking industrial action.”

“We continue to urge the Ministry to sit down and begin working with us on fair, sustainable and affordable solutions to its pay problems,” says Richard Wagstaff.

ENDS

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