Commuters were left frustrated yesterday morning when the transport network ground to a halt for the second time in just over a month due to union talks.

While BIU members from the bus and ferry services downed tools to discuss plans to work fewer hours for the same pay, members of the public were left stranded all over the Island between 10 and 11 a.m

The same thing had happened on December 13 when the BIU held its last mass membership meeting ? on that occasion to discuss grievances against the Ministry of Labour.

Commuters yesterday condemned the BIU for not giving adequate notice of the disruption, when the meeting had actually been scheduled last week with no public announcement made.

One woman waiting in at the bus station in Hamilton, who did not want to be named, said: ?I totally disagree with this, The transport network is supposed to be there for the public.

?I think it would have been much less inconvenient if there had been more notice, but I only heard about it this morning. It?s happening too often. I?m a care-giver and if I had to get somewhere in an emergency I would have to get a cab. I will probably have to get one anyway and that will cost me a lot of money.?

A man who was also caught up in the transport chaos said: ?This has made me really late, although the union members have to do what they have to do.?

And an angry woman stuck waiting at the ferry terminal in Hamilton said: ?I think it is wrong. They should have their meetings during the evenings, not during work hours.

?This is the second time in recent weeks that this has happened. We waited in Dockyard for hours and no one told us it was cancelled last time and we were left high and dry.

?I?m in town doing my laundry and now I can?t go home unless I want to pay a cab fare of $40 or more to get to Dockyard.?

In contrast, the plans for shorter shifts put smiles on the faces of the BIU members.

One Parks Department worker ? who like most of those who attended the meeting did not want to give his name ? said: ?Our pay would stay the same but we would be knocking off earlier. I guess this would give everyone more time to go around and pay their bills. It works out better for everyone.?

A Health Department worker said: ?I would be able to knock off earlier ? this idea probably wouldn?t do too good with the public but it would be good for me ? I?d be able to finish work at two o?clock instead of three.?

And a Works and Engineering employee said he would be very glad to be able to start work at 8 a.m. instead of 7.30 a.m., adding: ?I think the public will understand why we want this as it?s all about labour.?

Bermuda Industrial Union president Derrick Burgess later admitted that BIU members had been advised of the meeting last week while commuters were left in the dark about the inevitable disruption.

?There possibly could have been more warning. We could have let the public know a bit earlier and will try to do so in a more timely fashion in future,? he said. He could not guarantee that there will not be similarly disruptive union meetings in the future, saying: ?We don?t plan to have meetings at this time of day but it happens.?