An AMWU delegate who was sacked for wearing a union sticker to work last week has been put back on the books after the AMWU took legal action in the Federal Court against his employer.

The steel worker from Australian Tube Mills at Acacia Ridge, in Queensland, will receive full pay until his case is heard by the Industrial Relations Commission in July.

Queensland AMWU secretary Andrew Dettmer said the union intends to take action under freedom of association provisions of the Workplace Relations Act.

“This is pretty outrageous. Even under WorkChoices, freedom of speech was not outlawed.”

The delegate was wearing an AMWU sticker and was questioned by a supervisor about it, to which the delegate responded that he wanted written notice detailing the problem with the sticker.

Soon afterwards, he was called into a meeting with management and sacked for failing to obey a lawful direction.

Mr Dettmer said the union would work towards a resolution of the issue, before the Commission hearing in July.

"All we are seeking from Australian Tube Mills is for our member to return to work," he said.

"We are hopeful that there will be a change of heart by the employer and we may in fact get some sensible outcomes both for our delegates and for the members on site."