NSW sheriff’s officer strike impacts dozens of Sydney, regional courts

Sheriff’s officers across the state have walked off the job for the fourth time in two months as they fight for better pay while shouldering more risky and stressful work.

Burwood court in Sydney’s inner west was one of 24 shut in NSW because of sheriffs taking industrial action.

Union leaders have branded the NSW government “hypocritical” as sheriff’s officers walked off the job as part of a push for better pay, with all but two Sydney courthouses closed for two hours and others in the state’s west shutting for a full day.

All Sydney courthouses except Parramatta and the Downing Centre shut for two hours from 8.30am on Thursday as sheriff’s officers continued their campaign amid a “staffing crisis”.

Dozens of the state’s courthouses have been affected by the strike, with those impacted in Sydney including Burwood and Sutherland.

The action will also affect 18 courthouses across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven regions, including Wollongong, Port Kembla, Kiama and Nowra.

It is the first statewide strike and the fourth in two months, with action already taken in the Hunter, the state’s western region – including Dubbo – and the Illawarra.

Most Sydney courts were out of action on Thursday.

The state’s west was again impacted on Thursday, with Dubbo’s courthouse closed for the full day as sheriff’s officers walked off the job.

Public Service Association industry leader Ben James told this publication sheriff’s officers had been ignored for the past two years in their calls for better work conditions and improved pay.

“The Chris Minns Labor government was elected on a platform of supporting frontline public servants in frontline roles, and they’ve said countless times in opposition ... ‘all we’re asking is the minister to sit down with these workers and start discussing and hear their concerns’,” Mr James said.

“At this stage, we haven’t seen any of that, and I think it’s a bit hypocritical that they’ve done this in opposition but haven’t brought it forward when they’re in government.”

Over the past six weeks, the union has advocated for improved conditions in regional actions across several regions, including the Central West, the Hunter, the South Coast and the Mid-North Coast.

Mr James said there had been “no movement” from the department or government following localised actions.

“We just want to get a meeting and start negotiating and talking about the issue,” he said.

“These officers are part of the oldest law enforcement body in the country and they’re some of the lowest paid workers in the justice system, and for us, it’s unacceptable.”

The association, which is the sheriff’s officers’ union, also issued a statement that said the office of the Sheriff had difficulty recruiting and retaining staff because of poor pay despite duties ballooning over the past decade.

Sheriff’s officers enforce the law, provide court security and enforce orders issued by the NSW Local, District and Supreme Courts, the High Court, the Federal Court and Family Court.

“Sheriffs have tried to play by the rules but they have just been ignored for over two years,’’ union general secretary Stewart Little said.

“Their security duties involve maintaining the security of court complexes, many of which have airport-style perimeter security and scanning to ensure the safety of judges, magistrates, lawyers and the public.’’

Mr Little said sheriffs had waited patiently for a review into pay in 2023 but said a report was never released under “cabinet in confidence”.

“Sheriffs waited patiently, and were told the matter would be resolved in the 2024 budget, but when it was delivered in mid June nothing happened, and now they’ve been fobbed off again with some other made up bureaucratic process, so sheriffs have just had enough.

“Sheriffs are highly trained in what is risky and stressful work,’’ he said.

“Sheriffs need a solid pay bump to reflect the dangerous work they do.

“When enforcing court orders, they’ll be entering people’s properties wearing stab-proof vests, carrying capsicum spray, batons and handcuffs. It’s difficult work.’’

The difficult nature of the job was evident in one incident last week, when a 23-year-old allegedly spat on a sheriff’s officer when she was accused of illegally using her mobile phone to film in a Dubbo courthouse.

“Our members are at the coalface of the criminal justice system,” Mr James said.

“They are dealing with people that are very much at the pointy end of the justice system and are very much down on their luck, whether that’s providing court security and dealing with criminal matters that are coming in, or whether it’s conducting evictions and going to sites where people haven’t paid rent or their mortgages.”

A union spokesman said sheriffs were prepared to stop work again.

The state government has been contacted for comment.