Belco has obtained a court injunction against workers it claims are taking unsanctioned industrial action because of a long-running wage dispute.

The power provider said in a statement that "unprecedented absences" and refusals to work overtime by industrial workers in the past two weeks were affecting its performance.

It said proceedings were issued to ensure its operations were uninterrupted and that the Supreme Court had granted it injunctive relief.

The Electricity Supply Trade Union (ESTU) — which is locked in the wage dispute with Belco — hit back, claiming the legal action was taken to "intimidate" selected individuals, many of whom had valid doctor's certificates.

Union president Ray Bean told The Royal Gazette: "The injunction they have taken out is actually against 46 individual workers. They didn't take the injunction out against the ESTU.

"At this point, the ESTU isn't involved in any litigation. They took this out over 46 employees over the last three weeks who have been sick.

"The sad thing is that there have been more than 46 employees sick over the last three weeks. Quite a few of the 46 had doctor's certificates. I guess in all fairness one would have to interpret that the court has seen fit to overrule the individual employees' doctors."

Mr. Bean added: "They selectively, randomly, picked a few of them. I think it's just to really try and intimidate them and put pressure on them. We don't know why because our membership has been working overtime since this dispute started.

"If some of our members are working overtime we are dumbfounded in understanding how those employees are taking part in industrial action. The union has not sanctioned any action."

On Friday, Belco issued a statement saying it took legal proceedings on the advice of attorneys to allow the labour dispute to proceed in accordance with the law.

"Over the past two weeks Belco's operating departments have experienced unprecedented absences that are now affecting the company's ability to meet some customer project deadlines, as well as present and future scheduled work and maintenance projects," it said.

"In addition to the widespread absences from work, over the past few weeks company operations have also been affected by a majority of industrial staff consistently refusing to work overtime hours."

Belco said the ESTU had given assurances that it had not sanctioned any action. "However, activities clearly imply that organised industrial action is taking place," said the statement.

Wage talks between Belco and the ESTU, which has about 260 members in its Belco division, broke down several years ago and the dispute is now before the Permanent Arbitration Tribunal.

Mr. Bean said the row was essentially about "a company trying to reverse the advances that trade unions have had and take away the collective bargaining".

Belco said it issued correspondence to all employees on October 9 urging them to abide by the spirit of the Labour Relations Act and allow the dispute to be resolved in the best interests of the community and all parties.

"Today, Belco once again encouraged its employees to act in accordance with the legislation," said Friday's statement. "In the interim, Belco feels it is important that the community is aware of what is taking place.

"Specifically that planned work is being affected, which the company sincerely hopes will soon be remedied."