4 May 2005
MEDIA RELEASE

Workers Stop Payments To Lawyers

‘National Union of Public Employees (NUPE) members who work for the government body that grants legal aid have stopped processing or approving invoices for legal aid, which will mean delayed payments to lawyers,’ said NUPE Organiser John Kerr.

‘This action is will continue indefinitely. We have been in talks for 10 months and the Agency have told us they are “philosophically opposed” to a flat rate percentage increase for members. All we are asking for is a pay increase that reflects cost of living increases and other pressures on members’ incomes’, said John Kerr.

‘The employer has threatened to suspend staff taking this action. We would see this as being tantamount to a lock out and if the employer takes that step, our members will walk off the job’ said John Kerr

‘NUPE represents legal aid staff in Wellington, Christchurch, Invercargill and Whangarei. Moreover, we represent all of the staff who process legal aid applications for the Waitangi Tribunal,’ said John Kerr.

‘Our members are dedicated public servants. They are disappointed that a public body will not make an offer on pay when the there is such a huge surplus in the government’s coffers’, said John Kerr

ENDS

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