THE WHEELS of justice ground to a halt at some country courthouses on Thursday as hundreds of sheriffs walked off the job.
The strike over a "staffing crisis and poor pay" was expected to cripple dozens of regional courts in NSW when sheriffs walked off the job for a full day.
Sheriffs, whose duties include security and enforcing court orders, stopped working from 10am, as they called for wage negotiations to continue.
Public Service Association General Secretary Stewart Little addressed workers who walked out of Sydney's Downing Centre courts in Sydney on August 15.
"Sheriffs put their lives on the line to keep judges, lawyers and members of the public safe," he said.
"They serve warrants wearing stab-proof vests and carrying capsicum spray.
"Why would anyone want to do that when they could be paid the same for a desk or administrative courthouse job?"
Due to escalating risks, sheriffs had been equipped with pepper spray, ballistics vests and batons, Mr Little said.
"We've seen a marked increase in the number of arrests, interventions and use of force by the sheriffs over the past decade," he said.
He said Thursday's walk-out would have serious repercussions for courts across the state, with a lack of security forcing delays to important hearings, while some courthouses may have had to close.
Mr Stewart told AAP wage negotiations with the government had "completely broken down" after two years.
"Sheriffs are prepared to keep disrupting NSW courthouses until the government comes to the table with a reasonable remuneration deal that reflects the dangers of the job," he said.
There are more than 300 sheriffs attached to over 170 courthouses in NSW.
The action comes after sheriffs in the Hunter and in Newcastle walked off the job for two hours last month.
More than 20 Sworn Uniformed Sheriff's Officers protested outside Newcastle courthouse amid what the Public Service Association has described as poor pay and a staffing shortage.
According to the union, sheriffs in NSW earned between $64,000 for a probationary officer and $76,000, the maximum for an officer with at least five years' experience, per year including tax.
The Department of Communities and Justice said in a statement at the time that sheriffs had been offered a 10.5 per cent pay rise over three years, but the union is continuing negotiations - calling for a greater increase given the often dangerous nature of the work.
- with AAP
