Seacat sailings are expected to operate normally today after a judge ruled last night that a union's strike call was unlawful.
In the High Court in Belfast, Lord Justice McCollum granted an injunction against the Transport Salaried Staff Association which planned to disrupt sailings to Troon and Heysham from 6 a.m. today. The legal action was begun by Mr Glynn Patterson, from Belfast, who had booked a sailing to Heysham tomorrow. Seacat's parent companies then joined Mr Patterson in seeking injunctions against the TSSA union.
The judge held that ballots of Seacat employees at its Belfast terminal and on board the company's vessels were invalid.
In the case of onshore employees, the judge said no trade dispute existed because Seacat was prepared to discuss union recognition. As for on-board staff, a woman had been balloted who was not entitled to vote.
Yesterday a Seacat spokesman said sailings would continue to operate normally.
However, Mr Jon Allen, TSSA's deputy general secretary, said the strike had merely been postponed.
Leave to appeal was granted by the judge and the appeal is expected to be heard tomorrow.