A decision on whether Wellington port workers will be forced back to work has been put on hold.
Wellington Maritime Union and Rail and Maritime Transport Union port workers are refusing to unload a Maersk ship because it has been processed by non-unionised workers in Auckland.
Up to 30 port workers also picketed at the Port of Tauranga, but an injunction from the employment court yesterday forced them back to work.
Centreport was today seeking a similar injunction at the Employment Court for the striking Wellington workers, Maritime Union of New Zealand general secretary Joe Fleetwood said.
But Judge Anthony Ford today reserved his decision.
At today's hearing Judge Ford ordered the Centreport lawyers to rewrite the order, because "there were too many orders being requested'', Rail and Maritime Transport Union general secretary Wayne Butson said.
Lawyers for the two unions and Centreport were sent away to try and come up with an agreed wording, but they were not able to so the original order was submitted to the judge, Mr Butson said.
The judge had now gone away to consider the submission.
He had given no indication on when a decision would be made.
More than 300 Maritime Union members in Auckland are striking as they try to negotiate a new collective agreement with Ports of Auckland.
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