Unionised dock workers are refusing to work overtime until a dispute with management is settled.

And Bermuda Industrial Union officials and members of the Stevedoring Services' management team are set to meet early this morning in a bid to clear up the problem.

Stevedoring Services president Michael Lohan told The Royal Gazette yesterday that union members were refusing to work overtime in a dispute over payment for guaranteed hours in an overtime period.

He added that the matter was in the hands of the labour relations officer and the dock management company was taking legal advice.

BIU president Derrick Burgess said there was a problem on the docks and a meeting between the management and the union was set for 8.30 a.m. today in the hope of resolving it.

He said the dispute revolved around a situation that had been in existence for the last 26 years, was covered by the collective bargaining agreement and dock management was now trying to change it.

He declined to get specific but said he hoped that the situation would be resolved in the meeting.

Labour Minister Maxwell Burgess has been in touch with both parties and is understood to have urged them to return to the bargaining table for further negotiations.