Junior lawyers union started after law industry scandal
Tuesday, 21 May 2019
A new lawyers' union has launched with claims many juniors are effectively working for below minimum wage.
The Aotearoa Legal Workers' Union (ALWU) launched on Monday.
As well as the well-documented issues of bullying, burnout, and sexual harassment in law firms, there was also the fact that junior workers were working long hours with no overtime pay, a statement from the new union said.
This meant junior lawyers, after about four years of law school, were effectively paid below the minimum wage.
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'It is ironic that these problems occur within the profession tasked with upholding justice,' ALWU interim President Hayley Coles said.
'These problems persist because the voices of all legal workers – and particularly junior legal workers – are rarely heard. ALWU exists to change that.'
The union would initially survey legal workers about pay and conditions then publish the results. It would campaign to get all workers fairly paid for hours worked, and connect members with support if they had individual issues.
It would also look to collectively bargain with employers.
The union has launched almost a year after Dame Margaret Bazley released an 89-page report into law firm Russell McVeagh.
It was triggered by sexual misconduct involving summer interns around December 2015. It came with a long list of recommendations around bullying, management, culture, monitoring, and dealing with sexual harassment.
Many of the recommendations were yet to be implemented across the profession but Russell McVeagh had been relatively proactive, Coles said.
She called for external auditors to look at how firms had made changes.
The union launched with 130 members and on Monday had about 40 more.
Wellington Women Lawyers' Association convener Steph Dyhrberg, 2018's Wellingtonian of the year, had heard anecdotes of some firms making positive changes.
But she was getting messages about poor management, especially in smaller firms.
'Throwing junior lawyers in the deep end with no real teaching or supervision, then saying they are poor performers after a few months and pushing them out, exploitative contracts, bullying, including of people close to or having joined the partnership.'
She had also heard of bullying and excessive hours in some large Wellington firms, but young lawyers were too scared to speak up because of career damage.
'Where we can, we act. Also, legal support staff are increasingly speaking up about the poor way they are being treated, which is new and a good development.'
Russell McVeagh chief executive Jo Avenell in March said a lot of progress had been made.
'Today our people tell us that, while there is still work to do, we have a more open, transparent and inclusive culture than the past and have been ready and willing to manage all the challenges that come with change.'