Workers at a Government quarry are continuing industrial action today with as many as 60 staff reportedly calling in sick.

About 100 workers at the site, located on Quarry Road in Hamilton Parish, downed tools at about 1pm yesterday.

Workers at the quarry said they would refuse to return to work until they spoke with David Burch, the Minister of Public Works.

One man, who asked not to be named, said that the problem had been building for months. He added: “Today was the last straw.”

A spokesman for the Ministry of Public Works said that representatives from the Bermuda Industrial Union had met management yesterday afternoon and were working to reach a solution.

The spokesman said: “The Ministry is aware of an internal matter at the quarry which is being addressed by management and the union. Staff will return to work as normal tomorrow.”

But this morning one quarry worker told The Royal Gazette that staff had engaged in a mass sick-out, and would not be returning to work for the rest of the day.

The employee, who asked not to be named, said he understood that the Bermuda Industrial Union will meet with Government today to discuss worker concerns, which centre around management and the collective bargaining agreement.

“Nobody wants to do this, but problems have been going on for too long,” the staff member said.

“It’s a shame - we have a labour Government and yet labour are having to withdraw their labour.”