AN end to the North's hospital strike appeared a long way off last night after the private health firm Compass was granted an injunction to curtail picketing.
The health union Unison was told that from Monday, it must not organise picket lines comprising more than six people at any entrance or exit to the Downshire band Lagan Valley hospitals.
Yesterday's court action followed the collapse of negotiations at the Labour Relations Agency on Wednesday.
Hundreds of health workers are on a two week strike at five hospitals - the others are at Enniskillen, Omagh and Downpatrick - over working conditions imposed by Compass, which provides ancillary staff, including cleaners, canteen workers, telephonists and porters.
Mr Justice Girvan granted the injunction in the High Court in Belfast after being told about alleged intimidation by strikers at the two hospitals.
Mr Paul Heyes, Compass's Irish managing director, said in an affidavit that non strikers had been named in placards and called scabs by people on the picket lines.
He said workers had been prevented from entering the two hospitals, threatened with violence and subjected to verbal abuse.
Mr Heyes said the picket lines comprised between 10 and 15 people and sometimes more.