Lawyers and litigants are braced for more disruption this week after a strike caused around 30 courts to close on Friday.
Security staff who are members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union began a four-day strike on Friday, with further action set for today, Wednesday and Thursday.
HM Courts & Tribunals Service had pledged to try to keep as many court open as possible, but its weekly summary published late on Friday revealed the disruption was widespread.
Manchester Civil Justice was closed, as were county courts in Blackpool, Chester, Harrogate, Huddersfield, Leyland, Lincoln, North Shields, Prestatyn, Scarborough, Wakefield and York.
Magistrates courts in Bradford, Burnley, Darlington, Gateshead, Grimsby, Kirklees, Skipton, Stockport, Tameside, Welshpool, Wigan and Wirral were all shut. Tribunal hearing centres in Bradford, Leeds and Manchester were also closed on Friday.
Other court centres are running a reduced service as staff are moved to different sites.
The Blackpool closure creates particular problems as this was the alternative base found for cases from Preston Magistrates' Court. Preston has been shut due to the presence of RAAC in the building.
Similar closures are expected this week, with up to 500 union members who work for the outsourcing contractor OCS taking part in the industrial action.
The HMCTS update added: ‘Where we have reason to believe people with hearings will be impacted by the action we will make contact with details of alternative arrangements.’
The PCS said its members were angry at being offered a salary just 38p above the National Living Wage – a move that takes them further away from the Real Living Wage than last year.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: ‘Members are outraged by the disgraceful actions of OCS in tabling a derisory and insulting pay offer. Our members will not pay for a cost-of-living crisis not of their making.’
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