Farmers are threatening to sue individual public service vets and their union for millions of dollars if they go ahead on Friday with a nine-day strike.
The veterinarians plan to stop work for 24 hours a day, leading Federated Farmers chief executive Tony St Clair to threaten the National Union of Public Employees with legal action.
The vets had initially planned stoppages of three hours a day before the action was stopped in the Employment Court last Friday.
Mr St Clair told the Herald he had written to warn union secretary Ivan Finlayson.
Mr St Clair said the possible costs to farmers of production being affected during the $1.4 billion Easter lamb trade meant any such compensation claim could "easily run into the millions."
The 120 vets are needed to certify meat for export.
Last night, Mr Finlayson said Federated Farmers were bullies.
Releasing details of the letter to the public before union officials had the chance to read it was an example of the organisation's underhand tactics.
ready to take on the Government, he said.
nteVets had not received a significant pay rise for a decade and were seeking a 10 per cent increase and other benefits.
The initial strikes were stopped because the union failed to give the 28 days' notice required by law.
An interim injunction won by the ministry will end with a substantive hearing on Friday.
The ministry's assistant director-general of operations, Grant Burney, said: "MAF is studying the legal aspects of the situation, because we find it surprising that the union is threatening to strike [during the period of the interim injunction]."
Farmers threaten to sue if vets walk
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