Court staff stoppage unustified-Minister

Press, 14 May 1981, Page 4

Court staff stoppage unustified-Minister

PA Wellington The Minister of Justice (Mr McLay) said yesterday that he was concerned about inconvenience caused to the public by the staffing dispute at the District Court at Wellington. The court staff met yesterday morning and decided by a majority vote to stop work for the day. They also resolved to escalate the present ban on servicing courts and to have a further stop-work meeting in 14 days. Mr McLay said that little common ground could be found which might give hope of a settlement. The matter was now in the hands of the State Services Commission. The Wellington section of the Public Service Association had apparently passed a resolution on Tuesday which had declared full support for the action taken by the court

staff in their opposition to the Government’s “sinking lid” policy. But the "sinking lid” policy had had no effect on the Wellington court's staff for the last two years. As at April 1, 1980. the authorised staff ceiling for the court was 70 positions. The present number of staff was 71. plus two employees engaged under a recently introduced scheme for Maori and Pacific Islander clerical cadets. The arrears of work in the Wellington court did not appear to justify the action now taken. Little overtime had been worked in the last 12 months jn spite of the fact that money was available. Four additional staff were being- appointed for the expected influx of jury trials and more would be made avilable for the introduction of family courts later this year-