Marine and Port Services workers are to meet union representatives this morning to discuss the fate of a ferry pilot who crashed into a dock while under the influence of alcohol.

Last night, Bermuda Industrial Union President Chris Furbert said he had been told that pilot Dwayne Pearman had been dismissed from his job on January 21, and that attempts to reinstate him had failed.

A Government spokeswoman however, said the pilot's suspended licence was due to be reviewed by an Examining Committee.

Pearman, 37, pleaded guilty at Magistrates' Court to being more than twice over the limit when he crashed the fast ferry into the Rockaway dock on December 21. The J.L. Cecil Smith had 60 passengers on board at the time. Although no injuries were reported, the incident resulted in more than $1,000 of damage to the bow railing and dock itself.

Pearman, of Sandys, was fined $2,000 by Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner.

The Ministry of Transport suspended him, pending a disciplinary hearing.

Last night, Mr. Furbert claimed Pearman had been dismissed but that the union was trying to reinstate him due to his previous "unblemished record".

Mr. Furbert said: "We've had a couple of meetings with the Labour Relations Department to see if we can get him reinstated, but the remediation process has been unsuccessful."

The BIU is this morning to meet with Marine and Ports workers to discuss the issue.

"There is a lot of concern because he worked for the Department for 11 years with an unblemished record, so the workers are concerned as to why he was fired," said Mr. Furbert.

He added: "We don't want to reinstate him back as a pilot, but because of his length of service we would like to see him back in employment. He had an unblemised record.

"Our concern is that he has put 11 years into this job. We're aware of the severity of the situation and feel he should receive some sort of discipline, but should he be terminated?"

A Government spokeswoman said last night that an Examining Committee was due to convene "in due course" to decide on the status of the pilot's licence.