Staff at federal courts work-to-rule … Leaflets to litigants … Unhappiness mounts … No pay rise for four years … Registry merger … Sackings … Difficulty crossing a picket line
Court employees have not had a pay rise in four years and are looking for a two percent rise for each of the next three years, commensurate with rises granted to other Commonwealth departments and agencies.
The offer of a one percent rise was overwhelmingly rejected as “insulting”.
In further action staff will be handing out leaflets to litigants and lawyers coming into the courts, explaining their poor treatment. The open letter says:
“Workloads have increased but staffing has not. A four-year pay freeze and cost of living increases mean our wages have gone backwards in real terms. We deserve a sensible agreement that values and respects our contributions.”
The Community and Public Sector Union has also written to the Public Service Commissioner, John Lloyd, complaining about an “inappropriate recruitment” process that lacks “integrity” where in some instances placements are made outside the prescribed salary bands.
We’ve had various stories about the role of Darrin Moy, the executive director of people, culture and communications at the merged backend of the federal, family and circuit courts.
Among other things, the work-to-rule regime actually sees staff taking lunch breaks rather than scoffing their cheese and tomato sandwiches on the run.
The latest move is a memo from “Chuckles” Allsop CJ to the other judges explaining that “substantial savings” can be achieved with the merger of the registries of the three courts.
This will eliminate “unnecessary duplication of registry operations”. In other words, more sackings are required before there can be a six percent pay increase over three years.
District registrars will not be replaced in the event of resignations or retirements.
If agreement can’t be reached then the whole schmozzle will move to to the Fair Work Commission and from there to the Federal Court.
Litigation before the court on the outcome of its staff entitlements is hardly an attractive look.
In the meantime, there’s been no announcement from Soapy Brandis about a permanent replacement for Diana Bryant, who retires on Friday (Oct 6) as the chief justice of the Family Court.
There’s talk that John Pascoe from the Federal Circus Court may do the job pro tem but the bigger speculation is whether, in this fused court environment, they’ll be a permanent replacement at all.