Sheriff strikes continue across NSW over staffing crisis and pay, impacting 24 more courts

Sheriffs have continued their fight for better pay and conditions, arguing it has led to the justice system facing massive staff shortages across NSW. Here’s the latest from strikes across the Illawarra and Campbelltown.

Sheriffs have continued their fight for better pay and conditions with more than 100 courts impacted, arguing it has led to the justice system facing massive staff shortages across NSW from poor retention.

About 24 courts were affected for two hours on Thursday in the Illawarra and southern NSW as sheriffs joined the stop work movement, including major hubs like Campbelltown and Sutherland.

Other courts impacted by Thursday’s strikes included:

• Wollongong
• Moss Vale
• Kiama
• Albion Park
• Goulburn
• Port Kembla
• Nowra
• Milton
• Batemans Bay
• Moruya
• Narooma
• Bega
• Eden
• Bombala
• Queanbeyan
• Braidwood
• Cooma
• Yass
• Crookwell

Sheriffs lined up outside Campbelltown court to demand better pay amid a staffing crisis in a “risky” and “stressful” work environment.

Sheriffs protested poor pay and work conditions outside Campbelltown court. Picture: Inasha Iftekhar

“All that sheriffs officers want is a fair pay rise, and the department can stop this industrial action as soon as they come to the table on that,” Public Service Association (PSA) organiser Lachlan Good said.

Campbelltown sheriffs said staff shortages meant if an incident broke out they would be left shorthanded due to having so few people on-site, which has left them overworked and unable to have time off.

Sheriffs reported issues with under staffing, meal and travel allowances and trainee wage rates as key factors contributing to poor retention. Picture: Inasha Iftekhar

“We had an officer in Picton (local court) last week where there were 200 people and he was there by himself,” Sheriff Dave, who didn’t want his last name published, said.

“He had a person have a heart attack in court, he had fights going on everywhere outside but we were told they can’t send a second officer.”

PSA organiser Latu Saliosi said workloads for sheriffs had grown over the past decade while wages had “gone backwards”.

PSA organisers, Lachlan Good (left) and Latu Saliosi (right) joined sheriffs picket lining outside Campbelltown court. Picture: Inasha Iftekhar

Another major concern for the NSW Sheriff’s Office was low retention rates among staff which has left “massive vacancies” unfilled.

Other demands include better meal and travel allowances and increasing pay rates during the year-long traineeship period, which officers at Campbelltown court argued all contributed to the poor retention rate among sheriffs.

They said the pay disparity for probationary sheriff left them earning less than non uniformed court officers in their first year “despite putting themselves at more risk”.

More than 100 of 170 courts across the state have now taken part in similar demonstrations with Mr Good stating further action may continue if the government remained silent.

Sheriffs protested outside Campbelltown court for better pay and work conditions. Picture: Inasha Iftekhar

This comes after hundreds of sheriffs walked off the job in western NSW, arguing the current state of play is “just not on”.

Around 44 courts were also affected for two hours on July 17 as sheriffs downed tools in regional areas including major hubs like Dubbo, Orange and Wagga Wagga.

The first industrial action occurred outside courthouses in Coffs Harbour, Gosford, Lismore, Newcastle, Port Macquarie and Tamworth on July 4.

A Department of Communities and Justice spokesperson has said the NSW Sheriff’s Office was working with the Public Service Association (PSA) of NSW to resolve the industrial issue.