Interislander staff to strike from next week

Interislander sailings are set to be disrupted from next week when staff take strike action over a new collective contract.

If the strike goes ahead, the "low-level" action would cause the daily cancellation of one passenger and two cargo sailings after 6pm from next Tuesday, a Merchant Service Guild spokeswoman said.

The crews would refuse to sail the three Cook Strait return voyages a day, until midway through December.

Interislander owner Toll NZ said they were hopeful of preventing the industrial action with mediation talks planned for Thursday.

- NZPA