Ferry services were disrupted yesterday after a sudden walk-out by Marine and Ports staff.

The walk-out was the fifth industrial action taken in a month by different segments of the Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU) to settle disputes.

Trying to accommodate travellers, signs at the Hamilton ferry terminal announced the cancellation of ferry services, although some did operate - from St. George’s and Somerset. A normal ferry service resumed at about 1.30 p.m.

However, tourists and businesspeople with no knowledge of the action arrived at the Hamilton terminal yesterday morning to find themselves stranded. A group of 40 CEO’s, leaders and customers of Hibernia Atlantic, a transatlantic cable provider, all arrived at the Ferry Terminal at 10.20 a.m. to go to Dockyard.

Jaymie Scotto, the company’s PR and Marketing Consultant, said: “It is frustrating. We have been planning this event in Bermuda for four or five months and we heard the best way to get to Dockyard was by Ferry. It’s disappointing and an inconvenience.”

The last-minute decision was the second disruption to transport on the Island in the last four weeks.

On April 13, 400 employees ranging from postal workers to garbage truck drivers to ferry workers walked out to attend a BIU meeting. Cancellation of services that day continued after bus drivers held a second meeting over refusal to adopt a new timetable.

And last week, construction workers at the Tucker’s Point site went on a work-stoppage for six hours over a dispute with the contractors. The most recent action, however, was a refusal by crews at the Marsh Folly site to collect garbage from the West End on Thursday.

Yesterday after announcing at 6.15 a.m. that ferry services would be cancelled, workers of the Department of Marine and Port services met on the steps of the Cabinet building on Front Street. From there, the disgruntled workers marched up the BIU headquarters where the Head of the Civil Service, Major Kenneth Dill and an executive representing the BIU matters met.

It is understood there was an internal disagreement over an administration matter between staff and management. And though Julie Elbert from Apopka, Florida, understood the need to walk-out, she felt the news should have been given to them earlier.

She said: “I wouldn’t have just gotten off a bus going to Somerset, if we had known. Back to the bus station. How inconvenient.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Transport said officials had met with the workers and a ‘way forward’ had been agreed.

Marine & Ports workers down tools