Wodonga-based Dorevitch worker Jessica Rush said a text message was sent to all union members stating the government feared action was “endangering essential services and posing a risk to human life”.

The Fair Work Commission have listed the matter for Monday 3pm. 

A statement from the premier’s office said the industrial action was causing delays in pathology services and patient diagnosis and threatening patient safety and welfare.

Ms Rush who is one of 89 workers locked out of work completely since the first strike three weeks ago welcomed the intervention.

“I’m feeling a bit of relief over it,” she said.

“The end is in sight and I’m hoping it will resolve very, very quickly because we didn’t think it would take three weeks.

“It’s been very, very hard personally, I’ve got two young boys and have had no pay whatsoever.”

The permanent part-time pathology collector said workers never wanted to strike or do anything to inconvenience patients. 

Ms Rush said some communities might have been endangered by ongoing action.

“I believe in some communities that would be true, especially in small towns and among the elderly who can’t drive and rely on Dorevitch workers,” she said.

“We didn’t set out to harm patients, hurting them or making them wait was not something we wanted to do.

“Strike action was the very last resort left to us.”

Ms Rush said workers were not just striking about pay rates but about unsafe conditions. 

She said in Traralgon nine cars were taken off the road after being deemed unsafe.

Ms Rush said even local cars had no straps to tie down needles, blood and sharps, only cages that they could fly through in an accident. 

“In arbitration, Dorevitch puts forward their case, the health workers put forward their case and the commissioner decides what’s fair,” she said. 

Dorevitch declined to comment on the development.