Court staff to start strikes
Federal Court staff will soon undertake rolling strikes in a bid to break their workplace stoush over rights and conditions.
The staff say the agency is trying to impose changes that could threaten their job security.
Federal Court leaders have refused conciliation by the Fair Work Commission, instead scheduling more meetings in the hope of making progress.
They are looking to establish a single agreement to cover all workers after merger of administration with the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court in 2016.
Public servants at the Federal Court overwhelmingly rejected an offer of half the wage rises being paid to their counterparts in other departments and agencies earlier this year.
More recently, Court staff were offered a new deal with an average pay rise of 1 per cent each year for three years, coupled with cuts to conditions and entitlements, and a longer working week for some.
Community and Public Sector Union deputy national president Rupert Evans said the workers had gone more than four years without a pay rise.
“Job security is a real concern for these people, given the cuts that have already happened and the rights that are in the firing line,” Mr Evans told Fairfax reporters.
“The inflexibility of courts management is doing nothing to resolve this long-running dispute, while doing further damage to staff morale.
“Management need to recognise that the key issue for staff in this dispute is holding onto their existing workplace rights and job security, and that there won't be a resolution until these harsh and unreasonable cuts are taken off the table.”