Bus and ferry services on the Island will be disrupted this morning because of a union meeting to discuss a 35-hour working week deal.

The Bermuda Industrial Union aims to keep the meeting as short as possible to minimise the impact on transport services. School children and morning commuters should also be largely unaffected as the meeting at the union's headquarters in Union Street is not scheduled to start until 10 a.m.

BIU president Derrick Burgess said negotiations between the union and management to secure a deal for a 35-hour working week had been ongoing for ten months but now appeared to have reached a satisfactory conclusion.

He added: "We have come to an agreement that we can put to the membership and, subject to their approval, then recommend it to the Minister for approval."

Mr. Burgess said he hoped the 10 a.m. meeting would not last long, allowing workers to return to their duties as quickly as possible and thereby keeping disruption to a minimum.