Gloriavale seeks High Court injunction over Westland Milk contract

Gloriavale has sought a High Court injunction forcing Westland Milk to continue collecting milk from the community's dairy farms. Photo / George Heard

By RNZ

Gloriavale has sought a High Court injunction forcing Westland Milk to continue collecting milk from the community's dairy farms.

Westland Milk announced it would stop collecting milk from the reclusive West Coast Christian sect's farms after the Employment Court ruled members of the community who worked up to 70 hours a week were not volunteers.

Collection was set to end on Monday to coincide with the end of the milking season.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Westland Milk confirmed Gloriavale's Canaan Farming Dairy Ltd had filed an application for an interim injunction against Westland.

"Westland has been advised that the injunction application will request that Westland be compelled to perform the terms of its milk collection contracts with Canaan, specifically to require Westland to continue to collect milk from Canaan's three farms.

"Both parties have agreed that Westland will continue to collect Canaan's milk until the Court has determined Canaan's application for an interim injunction."

Gloriavale has been approached for comment.

Westland Milk is not the only company to act following the Employment Court ruling.

Meat company ANZCO Foods has given notice to Gloriavale that it will end business with its offal processing company Value Proteins, and last month Silver Fern Farms said it would no longer supply offal to Value Proteins.

Alliance Group is still reviewing its relationship with the firm.