after three of their colleagues were suspended.

BIU president Mr. Ottiwell Simmons MP said last night that his union would "follow grievance procedures'' over the suspended workers. There will not be picketing, he said, but it was not yet decided whether other dock and airport workers would come back today.

An overtime ban and work-to-rule continued in other transport-related industries yesterday, slowing garbage pick-up, stopping sightseeing buses and causing an early end to ferry service.

Events yesterday marked a major escalation in the long dispute over 15 Bermuda Forwarders truckers who lost their jobs last October.

The Bermuda Industrial Union has demanded the men be reinstated as a non-binding board of inquiry recommended in December. Bermuda Forwarders, which said at the outset it would not be bound by the inquiry, has refused to re-hire them.

On Tuesday, the union extended the protest to Stevedoring Services and Bermuda Aviation Services/Aircraft Services Bermuda, where the BIU said workers would not handle goods connected with Bermuda Forwarders.

That afternoon, airport freight shed worker Mr. Anthony Outerbridge refused to handle goods for Bermuda Forwarders. He was warned by managers but supported by shop steward Mr. Brian Talbot.

The two men were suspended at the end of a meeting yesterday morning with company and union officials and Government Labour Relations Officer Mr.

Gladstone (Tab) Bassett, who warned the two workers that they were in violation.

Afterwards about 50 unionised airport workers walked off the job. BAS chief executive officer Mr. Donald Hunter said aircraft were departing on schedule, but there was some delay while arriving passengers waited for their bags.

"As far as we are concerned there is no way around this,'' he said. "When you have a union shop steward over-riding the orders of a department manager ...that cannot be tolerated. It cannot exist that way.'' A similar scenario unfolded at the Hamilton docks at about 3 p.m. when Mr.

Wendell (Woolly) Baxter was suspended for refusing to handle Bermuda Forwarders cargo. Mr. Baxter was suspended for three days. Other workers walked off, and the docks came to a standstill.

Stevedoring Services managing director Mr. Michael Lohan said the company knew a strike might follow. "We feel very strongly that it is improper for our employees to follow the instructions of others when we are the ones that are paying their salaries,'' he said.

Opposition leader Mr. Frederick Wade last night announced the PLP would seek meetings with the BIU, Bermuda Forwarders, BAS and Stevedoring Services today to see if the party could help resolve the situation.

Labour Minister the Hon. Irving Pearman said Government was watching the situation "very, very carefully'' and looking for any avenue that could bring resolution.

"I am seriously concerned about these developments and hope that common sense and a sense of social responsibility will prevail in what has become a serious threat to peace on the labour front,'' he said.

The Labour Ministry warned the action would be illegal "secondary action'' against two companies not involved in the dispute and violate restrictions on industrial action at essential services.

But Mr. Pearman said he had no legal power to take anyone to court. The Attorney General could investigate if a national labour problem continues to escalate, Mr. Pearman said. "That's a decision for him, and not for the Minister or the Government.'' And the BIU or any party that felt injured could take the matter to court, he said. After yesterday's events, he said, Stevedoring Services and Bermuda Aviation Services might consider themselves injured.

Mr. Simmons said the BIU had no plans take its complaints to court. "We have no reason to take anyone to court,'' he said.

Later, Government Senate Leader Sen. Michael Winfield said: "The courts are the highest form of arbitration in the land in a democracy like ours ... The problem is that action by either side right now is jeopardising thousands if not tens of thousands of people who are not involved in the original dispute.

It's got to be resolved in the courts.'' Soon after the suspensions, Mr. Simmons said: "The country is in trouble ... There is no likely chance of us getting this settled.'' Mr. Simmons said the workers had a right to refuse to handle Bermuda Forwarders cargo. But the laws were biased in favour of employers, he complained.

"If we are going to get Bermuda out of trouble, we are going to have to get some people out of office,'' said Mr. Simmons, who is a Progressive Labour Party Member of Parliament.

If those in authority "don't accede to our requests, we are going to have to reach out and grab our rights ourselves ... We won't be turning back.'' Asked if he was concerned about the impact labour action might have on tourism, Mr. Simmons said: "We hope that the behaviour of the employers and the Government will not be damaging to the tourist trade.'' Mr. Ottiwell Simmons, MP.