The Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) on Monday terminated the bargaining period after intervening on Friday.
The Health Services Union (HSU) was ordered not to recommence enterprise bargaining for four months, locking them out of further protected industrial action.
The union - representing about 5,000 allied health professionals, including radiographers, radiation therapists, speech pathologists and physiotherapists - is at loggerheads with the state government over a new wages deal.
An exact claim has not been made but the HSU is demanding more than the government's offer of 3.25 per cent.
HSU state secretary Kathy Jackson said the union had the interim outcome they wanted.
"This is a course of action that the union was seeking from the government back in December. I'm a bit astounded that the government has taken this path now after spending more than $1 million in opposing it," she told ABC Radio.
"I think the only reason they sought to terminate the union's bargaining period now is because they've been caught on the hop by the Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu."
Jackson said the campaign was not over just because the union had lost the right to industrial action.
"This is not just about hushing us up and locking us away into the commission and throwing away the key. We want a conciliated outcome, we want an agreement."
Premier John Brumby said he was pleased to get the HSU back to the negotiating table.
"The sooner we can get an agreement on this the better," he said.
"It's a good thing in terms of patient safety and I'm pleased with the commission's result and decision."
Baillieu said he was disappointed the government hadn't sought to terminate the bargaining period sooner.
"Once again another threat to the hospital system and the government didn't respond well to it," he said.
