REGINA -- A Regina judge has ruled that picketing members of Unifor 594 may only hold up traffic heading into the Co-op Refinery Complex for up to ten minutes.

In the decision dated December 24, Justice Janet McMurtry stated Unifor members impeding, obstructing, or interfering with movement in or out of the complex “shall only last as long as necessary to provide information, to a maximum of 10 minutes, or until the recipient of the information indicates a desire to proceed, whichever comes first.”

This follows a temporary order issued last week that restricted the wait times to five minutes.

The judge also decided against an order responding to reported intimidation, finding that both sides have used some form of intimidation.

“I am confident based on the evidence before me that the parties are exerting more control over the conduct of their members, employees and/or contractors,” McMurtry said in her decision.

She added that the police will continue to be responsible for enforcing any breaches of the criminal law.

The labour dispute is now into its fourth week and the two sides have yet to return to talks.