Two major employment cases return to court on February 16.

The hearing into a legal challenge by six unions against Air New Zealand’s proposal to test its workforce for drugs and alcohol will resume in the Employment Court in Auckland.

The case, before a full bench of the court, began in October last year. The unions involved in the case are the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU), Service and Food Workers’ Union (SFWU), Flight Attendants and Related Services Association (FARSA), Aviation and Marine Engineers’ Association (AMEA), Aviation Industry Officers’ Union (AIOU) and Pegasus.

The unions are represented by John Haigh, QC, assisted by Helen White and Kathryn Beck.

Meanwhile, in Wellington on the same day, the Court of Appeal will consider an application by the New Zealand Herald for leave to appeal against an Employment Court ruling that aspects of the New Zealand Herald editorial collective agreement are inconsistent with the Employment Relations Act.

The journalists’ union, the EPMU, will be represented by general counsel Tony Wilton.

Stories written at the time of the previous hearings in both cases can be found on our website, www.epmu.org.nz.

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