Stalled contract talks may limit savings from courthouse cuts

The closing of courthouses in St. Stephen and Grand Falls may cost the Department of Justice more than it planned thanks to stalled contract negotiations that have forced the provincial government to provide cars, gas, and parking so some staff can get to their new jobs.

The provincial government announced in its March budget that four small courthouses would be closed to help deal with the province's ongoing financial problems.

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Under that plan, the smaller courthouses would be merged with nearby, larger justice facilities as a way to save money.

Delays in settling contract talks with both the court stenographers and Crown prosecutors could eat into some of those savings.

Odette Robichaud, the president of CUPE local 1840, which represents the stenographers, said until there is a new contract the provincial government cannot change conditions of employment.

The contract locates court staff in judicial districts across the province. A change of workplace is a change of working conditions.

"Any changes brought to the working condition needs to be addressed," said Robichaud.

"Our position was, and still is, that these court stenographers should be compensated for the change brought to their working condition."

The collective agreement with the province's court stenographers expired on Sept. 30, 2012, while the contract with Crown prosecutors was up on March 31, 2013.

As a part of the budget, the courthouses in St. Stephen, Sussex and Grand Manan are to be closed with their operations merged with the Saint John Law Courts. The Grand Falls court, meanwhile, will close and merge with the Edmundston court.

The union official says her union requested mileage and lunches for four court stenographers in Grand Falls and St. Stephen. The provincial government countered with the offer of cars, gas and parking.

3 Toyotas delivered to courthouse

Three late model Toyota Corollas were delivered by flatbed truck to the courthouse in St. Stephen last week. Staff within the Department of Justice have confirmed one is to be used by a Crown prosecutor, who will also be commuting to Saint John.

That Mad Hatter tea party in Fredericton isn't listening to us.-Dennis Boyle, lawyer

In Grand Falls, Robichaud says the provincial government agreed to provide one court stenographer with a car.

The second lives in the region between Grand Falls and Edmundston and will be allowed to charge partial mileage. Two Crown prosecutors in Grand Falls are also being provided with cars.

The Grand Falls courthouse is scheduled to closeNov. 2. The final day of court was held in St Stephenon Oct. 23.

Dennis Boyle, a Saint John-based defence lawyer, was in St. Stephen on the final day.

He is furious the court is closing and says he is certain it will cost the provincial government far more than it is saving.

"It's wrong, wrong, wrong," said Boyle.

"That Mad Hatter tea party in Fredericton isn't listening to us. They're not listening to people who know what's going on."

Safety concerns

In the meantime, CUPE's Robichaud says she has called WorkSafeNB and the Office of the Fire Marshall over safety concerns at the Edmundston courthouse.

Robichaud says renovations that were supposed to be in place to accommodate the additional staff from Grand Falls have not been started.

She says a rear office exit has been blocked so a desk could be added.

"There's a door that is the only access if there is a hazard or something for the provincial court stenographers and the provincial court judge," said Robichaud.

"If there's any issue, you know, this is not acceptable. So we're quite concerned by that."

An application for an injunction to stop or delay the closure of courthouses in St. Stephen and Grand Manan will be heard by a judge in Saint Johnon Wednesday.