Court staff walk out

Taranaki court staff walked off the job for a full half-day yesterday as part of a nationwide industrial action over pay and conditions.

Court sittings in the New Plymouth District and Ha¯ wera Court ground to a halt when the New Zealand Public Service Association (PSA) union walk out kicked off at 12.30pm and ran until 5pm.

The action follows the Ministry of Justice’s failure to win an interim injunction on rolling strikes at the Employment Court in Auckland on Monday.

A strong decision was delivered supporting the right of workers to strike. The union has been holding industrial action over its demands for a two per cent across the board pay rise and a new pay scale.

The ongoing dispute has seen periodic closures of the New Plymouth court house while staff take their breaks.

PSA national organiser Brendon Lane has said they wanted to see an offer that ‘‘properly values our members’’.

The Ministry of Justice deputy secretary corporate and governance, Suzanne Stew, said the Ministry was considering the Employment Court’s ruling.