Ministry of Justice staff plan rolling strikes

Ministry of Justice staff are escalating their industrial action from Monday in support of a pay rise.

More than 180 staff who collect fines and look after administration work at courts and tribunals walked off the job for two hours yesterday.

Public Service Association secretary Richard Wagstaff says a genuine pay offer has been lacking.

The union says figures from the ministry show that on average, Justice workers are paid 6.3 per cent below the pay median for the public service.

The ministry's 1200 court registry officers are paid between $39,600 and $46,600 a year, their highest pay rate is $53,600.

Most court registry support officers are paid between $29,500 and $35,000. Their highest pay rate is $40,000. The figures are 9.25 per cent below the public service median.

Mr Wagstaff says the union wants the ministry to engage in meaningful negotiations to develop a just pay system and to close the pay gap with other public service workers in a fair way the ministry can afford.

He says the new campaign escalates the industrial action already undertaken.

It includes a complete ban on overtime, rolling strikes of varying lengths and action targeting different areas of work at the Ministry of Justice.

- NEWSTALK ZB