Strike hits court sittings
The weekly criminal prosecutions list in Napier District Court is expected to be among the more significant challenges today during a strike which will close courts throughout New Zealand for two hours.
The session, which usually has more than 60 appearances, will start as usual at 9am with mainly adjournments by a registrar, while the judge’s session, normally starting about 10am, is now scheduled to start at 2.15pm.
The only matters in the Hastings court, where the weekly criminal list was held yesterday, will be a sitting by a community magistrate starting at 9am and latest Hawke’s Bay arrests before registrar in the afternoon.
Courts throughout the country will close from 10.30am to 12.30pm as almost 2000 Ministry of Justice employee members of sector union the Public Service Association (PSA) walk off the job after voting for industrial action amid the failure of pay negotiations.
The PSA says the stoppage is to get a fair pay deal for low-paid and female workers. Its says the women on average earn 15 per cent less than male staff and the workers have some of the lowest wages in the public sector.
The PSA has sought a 13 per cent rise, but the employer offer is for 5 per cent over two years, consistent with other public sector agreements.
Meanwhile, police were called at noon yesterday to the Four Square on Ossian St, Ahuriri, Napier.
A police spokeswoman said a staff member had been ‘‘ assaulted’’.
Four Square Ahuriri duty manager Jo Webb said a shop worker was punched in the face and received a ‘‘split lip’’ after a man entered the store and stole three packets of biscuits.
‘‘We get shoplifting but not an assault. It is sad.’’