PSA Media Release
December 18, 2009
For Immediate Use
Where’s the pay rise for Ministry of Justice workers?
“If judges can get a pay rise in the current economic climate, why can’t the workers who run their courts?” asks the
Public Service Association national secretary Brenda Pilott.
The Remuneration Authority has awarded judges a pay rise of 1.2% to 1.3%. This on top of a 4.8% pay increase judges
received a year ago.
This is the first pay determination the authority has made since a law change required it to take account of economic
circumstances when setting pay for judges and other groups it covers such as Members of Parliament and public service
chief executives.
“Judges have a complex and demanding job and we do not begrudge them a pay rise,” says Brenda Pilott.
“But if an independent authority can decide judges deserve a pay rise, it’s unfair workers who run our justice system
are being denied a pay increase.”
“It’s unjust that workers at the Ministry of Justice are having to take industrial action to address the fact they’re
paid an average of 6.3% less than the rest of the public service.”
“Where is the justice in court workers earning as little as $29,500 being denied a pay rise while judges earning
$405,000 are awarded a $5000 pay increase,” says Brenda Pilott.
ENDS