The willingness to go back to work this evening was expressed by the workers of dairy company Open Country Cheese near Matamata. The workers have been on strike from quite sometime now, and a hearing in the Employment Court has been pended for later in the week.

It was specified by the Dairy Workers Union that staff will return to the plant at 6pm. The Dairy Workers Union, which represents workers at the Waharoa site, said that though the urgent Friday hearing into whether illegal replacement labor is being used by the company is pending, they will return to work.

No comments could be received from the company; however, Union national secretary James Ritchie demanded clarification for deciding whether or not Open Country was allowed to use replacement labor to run the factory.

He said: "In the meantime, the workers are of the view that there is no point having the factory run without them being the ones carrying out the work, and will return until this matter is heard by the court."

Last week, union workers commenced their planned eight-day strike over pay and working conditions. It should be noted that the union has given further notice of strike action from the October 3.