Ministry vows to end pay row

The Justice Ministry says it is committed to resolving a pay dispute with court staff, despite 1700 of them walking off the job today.

Some courts were disrupted as Public Service Association members staged a one-hour strike at short notice at 10am, as part of escalating action over stalled pay talks.

PSA national secretary Richard Wagstaff said court and tribunal staff decided to strike because the ministry "continues to refuse to negotiate their pay".

They began a work to rule regime last week.

Mr Wagstaff said the ministry was paying its staff 6.3 per cent below the median pay rate for the public service but the union had not asked for a specific amount as a pay claim.

"We've simply identified how much Justice is underpaying its staff and have been trying to negotiate with the ministry on how we close that pay gap."

The two collective employment agreements for members expired four months ago, he said.

General manager district courts, Tony Fisher, said the ministry had already tabled "what we consider to be a realistic offer", which the PSA had declined to take to its members for ratification.

He would not say what the offer was.

"The ministry has offered performance-based pay increases for staff effective from 1 July, 2010. Our preference is to reward performance, not time in the job."

Mr Fisher said the union claim would cost more than $100 million over three years - $25m annually from the first year increasing to $51m annually by the third year.

"The ministry simply can't afford that," he said.

"We reiterate that we want to resolve this. The best way to progress is to get back around the table."

Several Christchurch courts were disrupted just as the sessions were due to start.

The striking staff went outside the courthouse to gather beneath umbrellas for a meeting.

Trial courts mainly continued without disruption.

In Wanganui, the Waiouru medals theft case was briefly delayed by a noisy demonstration outside the courthouse.

And in Auckland staff gathered and protested outside the district court.

Mr Fisher acknowledged the strike action had caused some disruption to court business but could not give any details.

- NZPA