PSA MEDIA RELEASE
March 9, 2009
For Immediate Use

PSA shares judge’s frustration with Ministry of Justice

The Public Service Association shares the frustration expressed by a Christchurch judge this morning that the long running dispute involving Ministry of Justice staff has not been resolved.

Judge Michael Crosbie told a Christchurch court this morning that industrial action causing daily disruption to courts throughout the country “has worn thin.”

Judge Crosbie told the court, "It is time someone did something about it." He then adjourned the court, 12 minutes after it had begun sitting for the day, when court staff took industrial action.

“We agree with Judge Crosbie. This dispute has gone on far too long and must be resolved now,” says PSA national secretary Richard Wagstaff.

“We share Judge Crosbie’s frustration. All we need is for the Ministry to agree to a set of principles that will enable us to resume formal negotiations in which we can reach a settlement of this dispute.”

“But the Ministry continues to drag its heels instead of working to settle this dispute.”

“The Ministry remains oblivious to the disruption in its courts, highlighted by Judge Crosbie today,” says Richard Wagstaff.

The PSA initiated bargaining of collective agreements covering 1700 members working for the Ministry of Justice in May last year.

The Justice workers began their industrial action in October because the Ministry was not addressing the fact that they are underpaid because the Ministry’s pay setting system does not work.

In December the Ministry announced the negotiations were over. This is despite the fact no settlement had been reached. And despite the bargaining process agreement between the Ministry and the PSA stating that both parties have to agree before negotiations are formally ended.

On February 25 the chief judge of the Employment Court Graham Colgan ruled the negotiations were not over and should resume.

The PSA has provided the Ministry with principles on which formal bargaining should resume and has had no response on these principles from the Ministry.

On March 1 Ministry of Justice workers throughout the country went on strike for 23 hours closing at least seven courts.

These workers continue to take industrial action on a daily basis. This involves a nationwide ‘work to rule’ and staff at each court and other Ministry worksites deciding when they will take action.

“The problem at the heart of this dispute is that the Ministry has a pay setting system that assesses how much its staff should be paid, then fails to pay them that amount,” says Richard Wagstaff.

“As a result, Justice staff are paid on average 6.9% less than workers in the rest of the public service.”

“This is despite the fact they run a public service as essential as our justice system.”

“Ministry of Justice staff will continue to take action until the Ministry resumes formal negotiations to address their long standing pay problems,” says Richard Wagstaff.

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