A temporary injunction was granted by the High Court yesterday preventing a number of people blocking Anglo Irish Beef Processors' (AIBP) meat plants.
The injunction also prevents anyone engaging in assault or physical violence or verbal abuse of people trying to enter or leave the plants.
Mr Michael Collins SC, for the company, said that since February and March employees had been in dispute over conditions of employment relating to packages for redundancies and other matters. Peaceful picketing had been taking place at some plants but picketing at other plants had not been peaceful.
In an affidavit, Mr Eamonn Hanley, personnel manager of AIBP Ltd, said there were 14 to 16 picketers at the company's Cahir plant yesterday. He said an employee arriving for work yesterday was hit by one of the picketers with a placard and fell to the ground. As he tried to get up, picketers circled him and threatened him verbally.