Bus drivers, faced with a proposal to cut down on their overtime, fear that such reductions are being considered “across the whole of Government”.

Chris Furbert, president of the Bermuda Industrial Union, made the remark after a meeting of unionised bus drivers and mechanics discussed plans to compromise on their negotiated benefits.

Monday’s meeting followed days of bus route cancellations called by the Department of Public Transportation (DPT), which has exhausted the current fiscal year’s budget for overtime.

Mr Furbert said the budgeting quandary, announced by public transportation director Dan Simmons, was nothing new.

“You have to ask yourself the question why it is that just in 2015 we have this problem,” he said. “This has existed for quite a while now.” Mr Furbert said the BIU had been notified of overtime shortages for the past six years.

BIU workers agreed to give up overtime for straight pay from July to December of 2011, saving about $4 million for the Government, in addition to a wage freeze since that year and 19 months of furlough days.

“They are questioning why they should do double time for time and a half,” Mr Furbert said, while entities like the Bermuda Tourism Authority were receiving “taxpayer money while their people are getting bonuses”.

Mr Furbert said the DPT got the least amount of overtime budgeted out of government departments: $150,000 for the current fiscal year, followed by Parks, at about $183,000.

However, he said that by November 27, 2014, DPT had spent $1.5 million on overtime. Another issue for bus workers has been sick days, which can range from five weeks at full pay or 25 days, to 14 weeks, or 70 days, for more senior staff. With roughly 140 operators, the loss of roughly ten operators to long term sick days puts the system under strain.

Mr Furbert said he did not believe there were many cases of sick leave being abused, and said the union had requested a printout from management of the first quarter’s sick leave so that possible instances of abuse could be discussed.

“These are negotiated benefits,” he said. “We have asked our members, please don’t take it for granted.”