Striking workers at Bermuda General Agency (BGA) will return to work today after walking out yesterday in protest over the sacking of a veteran colleague.

The dispute over the dismissal of Clarice Bowen, who was sacked after 34 years at the company for taking unauthorised vacation time, will go to mandatory arbitration.

Mrs. Bowen, who worked in direct sales delivery, will be employed by Magazine Distributors - another company owned by BGA's parent company BDC 2000 - until a labour relations tribunal rules on her sacking.

About 15 staff picketed outside the company's depot in Mill Creek Road, Pembroke, yesterday after staging a sit-in on Tuesday.

BGA president John Tomlinson said yesterday: "The majority of the company view the industrial action with disappointment.

"It does not reflect the earnest endeavours of our valued employees in making BGA a better place to work.

"This type of action belies the hard work and commitment so many of our excellent employees make every single day.

"It will go to arbitration that is binding and retroactive. Labour relations advise us we do not need to do this (move Mrs Bowen to Magazine Distribuitors) but we have done this as a gesture of our continuing relationship with the Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU)."

BIU president Derrick Burgess said last night: "It is going to arbitration. That is unfortunate that it has to go there for resolution, but if you have a stalemate that's the avenue you have to take."

Mrs. Bowen said yesterday that she had been sacked because she took a five day holiday when she had been told not to because an assistant manager was off at the same time.

She said the sacking was unfair because her manager worked in a different area. She said she had seniority over the manager in terms of years, and added that a "floater" was available to cover her while she was on holiday.

Mrs. Bowen said: "I don't think this is fair because I gave this company 34 years of my life and they are going to turn around and do that for no good reason.

"The BIU says seniority should prevail because she (the assistant manager) has only been there for six years. And because there was a floater there to do the work, there is no excuse."

The "floater", Sonja Gordon, who was on probation was also terminated because the company said the employment did not work out satisfactorily.