About five weeks ago, the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists submitted its defence of Dr John Chambers to board management, which had invited the senior doctor to argue why he should not receive a formal first warning for speaking to the Otago Daily Times.
In his role as union representative, Dr Chambers has been a point of contact for media.
The union, along with the New Zealand chapter of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, vocally condemned the threat of disciplining the respected doctor.
This week, ASMS executive director Ian Powell said the union was still waiting to hear management's verdict. However, he was encouraged by "informal discussion under the radar" with management.
The board has previously said it would not discuss Dr Chambers in the media.
It has also previously declined to discuss wider issues in ED, including the department's lack of a clinical leader. Another request, on Tuesday, received no response.
Mr Powell said work was under way to resolve the wider issues in ED. He reiterated a claim made last month that the board announced the involvement of two senior health figures, national emergency department champion Prof Mike Ardagh, and Ministry of Health chief medical officer Dr Don Mackie, without consulting the pair first.
"Neither of them knew in advance. They were put on the spot [when] it was publicly announced."
Last month, the board said the pair would help it resolve long-standing relationship problems with some of the senior doctors in ED.
