Court staff protest against job loss fears (From Kidderminster Shuttle)
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Court staff protest against job loss fears
8:00am Friday 2nd November 2012 in News
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Court protest: Worker Rachel Reynolds, front, protesting with a group of staff.
COURT workers held up placards outside Kidderminster Magistrates Court during a protest against job loss fears.
The Public and Commercial Service Union (PCS) members shouted “We want justice” and “save our jobs” as they held up signs saying “Justice not for sale” and “Sales of justice”, to demonstrate against the proposed privatisation of court enforcement.
The proposal would put the collection and enforcement of fines into the hands of private companies and the PCS fears it could lead to the loss of 2,500 jobs nationally, with 20 of them being from the Kidderminster court.
About 13 workers from the court’s criminal enforcement collection centre turned out for the rally yesterday.
The union wants to keep control of the enforcement of fines in the hands of HM Courts and Tribunals Service, with court staff working alongside the judiciary to ensure the money is paid when it should be.
Kevin Greenway, a court worker and national executive member of PCS, said: “This is one of a series of rallies at criminal enforcement centres in opposition to the Ministry of Justice’s plans to privatise the collection of fines, compensation, confiscation orders and fixed penalties.
“We’ve rallied workers at the Kidderminster enforcement centre because we’re fearful of the impact it will have. We don’t think this is in the public interest.”
He added he was pleased with how the protest went. “I think the staff were lively,” he said. “They’re up for the fight.”
COURT SERVICE DISCUSSING PLANS WITH WORKERS AND UNIONS
