The Union issued Strike Notices on 16 June 2011 for strikes to commence on 1 July 2011.
On 17 June 2011 the Union became aware that the employer intended to challenge the legality of the strikes by way of Interim Injunction proceedings and issued its own proceedings in the Employment Court seeking a substantive judgment as to legality.
Today the parties attended a Chambers Hearing before Judge Ford, a Wellington Employment Court Judge, who was able to indicate that the substantive hearing about the legality of the strikes can occur on 5 July 2011.
The Judge requested the Union to give an undertaking that there would be no strike action up to and including 5 July 2011, and out of respect for the Judge and the Court process this undertaking has been given in the following form:
“The Plaintiff [the Union] gives an undertaking to the Court that there will be no strike action before or including 5 July 2011.”
The Judge has also directed the parties to attend mediation which will occur on Thursday, 23 June 2011.
