Ministry of Justice staff to continue industrial action

The Public Service Association says it shares a judge's frustration over industrial action by Ministry of Justice staff, but says it will continue until formal negotiations with the ministry restart.

Christchurch Judge Michael Crosbie today expressed his frustration at the daily disruptions, telling the court "it is time someone did something about it".

PSA members were being told each day what time they would take their breaks, and today headed off for a tea break at 10.12am, only 12 minutes after the day's main court sitting began.

Judge Crosbie said the industrial action "has now worn thin".

The national dispute between the Ministry of Justice and its PSA staff has been going on since October.

It has involved breaks being taken at unusual times most days, but sometimes staff have walked off the job for the whole day, and sometimes they have protested outside the courthouse and attempted to disrupt proceedings with chanting.

PSA national secretary Richard Wagstaff said the union shared Judge Crosbie's frustration, but industrial action would continue until formal negotiations resumed.

"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."

The PSA said courts and tribunals staff were paid an average 6.3 percent less than the rest of the public service, and wanted the differential addressed.

Ministry general manager of district courts Tony Fisher said the ministry was committed to settling a collective employment agreement, but "the economic reality is the ministry cannot agree to a settlement at any cost".

The PSA was seeking a precondition that the ministry agree to its claims prior to bargaining starting, and that was not good faith bargaining, Mr Fisher said.

Mr Fisher said on March 1 the two sides still had plenty to talk about, and the ministry was willing to meet the PSA at any time.