Court staff’s strike disrupts proceedings

SENTENCING was deferred and people waiting to appear left lingering outside the Dunedin City Court yesterday afternoon, as court staff called a lightning strike.

Across the South Island and in Waikato about 350 members of the Public Service Association voted to walk off the job about 3pm, in support of a claim for a 13% pay rise over two years.

The Ministry of Justice is offering 5% during the period.

The industrial action disrupted the sentencing Judge Michael Crosbie was due to deliver yesterday afternoon, and six sentences were reportedly postponed until next week.

Lawyers, members of the public and court staff trickled out of the court yesterday, some irritated by the court action.

Kirsty Collier and Debbie Kinder were left outside as a Disputes Tribunal case they were waiting for could not be heard.

Ms Collier said the strike action was ‘‘actually quite inconvenient’’.

‘‘Obviously, it’s delaying it.’’ Court security staff voted to join the strike from 4pm, leav ing one staff member who was not a PSA union member to look after the doors.

PSA national organiser Brendon Lane was pleased by how the lightning strike action went. Negotiations with the Ministry of Justice would continue next week, and if it did not ‘‘come to the table’’ the strikes would continue.

Mr Lane said he was confident the ministry had seen ‘‘how angry the members are’’.

The ministry was planning to devalue roles that were largely femaledominated, Mr Lane said.