the airport and docks today.

Airport and Hamilton dock workers will not handle any goods connected with Bermuda Forwarders, the Island's largest freight moving firm. Other transport-related divisions begin a work-to-rule and overtime ban in support.

The overtime ban and work-to-rule does not apply to dock and airport workers.

BIU president Mr. Ottiwell Simmons MP warned that all transport divisions "will take immediate strike action'' if any dock or airport worker is disciplined through court action, suspension, dismissal or lay-off.

These transport divisions include taxis, air services, truckers, Marine and Ports, garages, port workers, bus operators, garbage collectors, and the transport, and waterworks section of Works and Engineering.

In a meeting with Mr. Simmons late last week, Labour Minister the Hon. Irving Pearman had urged the union to consider the "national interest'' before pressing ahead.

He declined to comment immediately after last night's decision.

Before the meeting, Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan had appealed to the union to consider the well-being of the Island and the economy.

And National Liberal Party chairman Mr. Graeme Outerbridge urged the union to pause.

"We are going to play Russian roulette with the very means of our livelihood . We see no logic in how the union in this instance can justify economic disruption.'' The object of the industrial action, Mr. Simmons said, "is simply to have the 15 men of Bermuda Forwarders reinstated into their jobs''.

The men lost their jobs last October, after walking out in support of a fired shop steward, and then walking out a second time as an inquiry was about to begin.

Bermuda Forwarders argues the workers resigned by walking off the job, while the union argues the men were "locked out''.

The Labour Ministry has said the proposed industrial action is illegal because it involves two "secondary industries'' -- the airport and the docks -- that are not parties in the dispute. See Page 3 for a chronology of the dispute.

It has also warned the union that the airports and docks are essential services.

Under the law, labour disputes in essential industries must be officially reported, and special notice must be given of planned industrial action -- which has not happened in this case.

After last night's meeting, which filled the union's E.F. Gordon Memorial Hall, Mr. Simmons said he was not concerned about the Ministry's claim that the industrial action would be illegal.

"It doesn't have any meaning to us,'' he said. "If the law is right, it should protect the workers.

"And if it doesn't protect the workers, then the Government should set out to make proper, just laws, fair laws to favour all people, and to repeal those laws that favour the employers.'' Dock workers with Stevedoring Services Ltd. and airport workers with Bermuda Aviation Services/Aircraft Services Bermuda have been warned by their managers that the proposed job action is illegal.

The two companies have complained they have nothing to do with the dispute between Bermuda Forwarders, 15 truckers and the BIU.

The dispute began last September when Bermuda Forwarders workers went on strike to protest the firing of shop steward Mr. Lynn Darrell.

Workers were back on the job and a Government inquiry scheduled to begin when the workers walked off a second time.

A non-binding inquiry in December upheld the firing of the shop steward and recommended the other workers return to their jobs.

The BIU agreed but Bermuda Forwarders refused to go along.