Industrial action by garbage collectors which has led to trash piling up in the West End has ended — but it remained unclear last night when the rubbish would be collected.

Bermuda Industrial Union organiser Graham Nesbitt told The Royal Gazette that the action, which he insisted was not a strike, only lasted for one day last week and staff have since been working hard to make up the lost hours.

But residents whose waste was not picked up last Thursday or yesterday are concerned that they could also miss out on a collection this Thursday, as it is a public holiday.

One householder said: “It is really starting to pile up and the next scheduled collection day is Thursday, the May 24 holiday. With this weather, it will be a very smelly situation soon.”

A Works and Engineering spokesman could not comment on the issue last night, saying only that the pile up of waste was connected to “continued industrial action”. He said a statement with more information would be released today.

Mr. Nesbitt, union organiser for Works and Engineering, said the refuse workers withdrew their services last Thursday but went back to work the next day. He said he could not comment on the reason for the action as the union was still in talks about it with Government.

“I wouldn’t call it a strike,” he said. “They wanted to discuss something with upper management. It was some outstanding issues that we are trying to get resolved.” Mr. Nesbitt said he would expect the uncollected trash to be collected today but added: “I don’t know how management has assigned to get it done. They (the workers) are not working slow.”

A resident of St. John’s Road, Pembroke, said her trash was not collected on Friday and was still there at 10 a.m. yesterday. “If they went back to work, where were they?” she said. “Mine definitely wasn’t collected and nor was the rest of the trash on my road.”