action. Bermuda Industrial Union first vice president Chris Furbert said the ferry workers launched an overtime ban to voice their protest over wage negotiations. As a result the morning Paget ferry service was set adrift, leaving commuters high and dry. Acting Labour Minister John Barritt told The Royal Gazette last night that the action was "an unfortunate turn of events for two reasons''. "The first is that very few people want to see industrial action that has the effect of disrupting not only our lives but those of our visitors at a time which is historically the strongest time of the year for us. "The second is because negotiations have moved in to mediation. The Labour Relations officer is trying to mediate between the two parties and I am told that custom and practice dictate that parties desist from taking any action which has the effect of putting pressure on the parties during mediation. "That said the parties are set to meet this afternoon. Both parties are urged to continue with mediation to try and reach a negotiated settlement.'' Mr. Furbert said the wage controversy dated back to October, 1996, when the BIU notified the Government that the third year wages for all Government workers, under their collective agreement, were due to be negotiated. "Government, however, did not begin negotiations until January 1997,'' Mr. Furbert pointed out. "But Schedule 15 which covers wages expired December 31, 1996, which means there is no agreement with respect to wages.'' He said workers were unhappy with the slow negotiation process and at a recent meeting, Government divisions decided to exercise their "democratic right'' to decline overtime work. Mr. Barritt said the two parties were now "in the twelfth hour in respect to negotiations''. "But for the two sides involved there is no useful purpose in trying to ascribe blame in the situation we find Ferry workers take action "Surely any delay is justification in concentrating efforts toward settlement and mediation.'' Marine and Ports director Ron Ross yesterday said the workers informed the department on Monday night of the overtime ban.

"We were told last night at 9 p.m. that an overtime ban was in effect,'' Mr.

Ross said. "This resulted in the ferry service being off schedule this morning.'' He said the Paget ferry was affected by the action while the Somerset ferry was operating as scheduled.

And he could not offer commuters any assurance that things would be back to normal by this morning.

"I have no idea how long this will go one,'' Mr. Ross added. "It appears to be part of the Government worker's wage dispute.'' Mr. Furbert would not comment on how long or if any further action would be taken by the workers.

"Government has stated that its last proposal, given in January 1997, was the highest it could go,'' he said.

"Yet, we have seen Government splurging the tax payer's money for all sorts of reasons, most recently by bring in an ordinary lawyer at a cost of $1,600 per case to prosecute what would be deemed minor drug offenders.''