The dispute was also significant for boosting the career of the barrister representing the company, Peter Costello, leading him to stand for federal Parliament and become Treasurer in the Howard Government.
Dollar Sweets was a confectionery company on Malvern Rd in the Melbourne suburb of Glen Iris, Victoria employing 27 people on a 38-hour week basis.
By October 1985, the company was still refusing to reinstate the sacked workers but through the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission had provided "an offer to assist in finding alternate employment within the industry and also to supply references to those people."
[5] Dollar Sweets received strong support and assistance from Richard Mulcahy, chief executive officer of the Confectionery Manufacturers of Australia.
By December 1985, it was decided to seek an injunction under common law against the union in the Supreme Court of Victoria, with solicitor Michael Kroger engaging Alan Goldberg QC to lead junior barrister and future federal Treasurer Peter Costello to represent the company.
[5] The company alleged union interference with contractual relations, intimidation, nuisance, and a conspiracy to injure the plaintiff and sought an injunction and punitive damages.
Victorian Supreme Court Justice Peter Murphy gave judgement, issued restraining orders on 12 December with the picket ending the next day.