Civil servants will respond within the next day to Government's latest contract offer.

More than 1,800 civil servants have been working without a contract since October last year as Government and the Bermuda Public Servants' Association (BPSA) tried to thrash out a new deal.

Almost 200 union members met last night at St. Paul's Centennial Hall, Hamilton, to instruct the union on how to respond the latest offer.

Last night, BPSA general secretary Ed Ball refused to disclose details of the offer or what action the union will take next.

"We are down to the fact that I need to have a direction from the membership as to the proposals that have been presented," he said after the meeting.

"We have suspended talks pending the meeting, and now we have to formally get back to the table.

"I have been given a response that I will share with the Government negotiating team within the next 48 hours, then it will be for management to convene another meeting."

When asked if he was optimistic the matter can be resolved, he replied: "I'm always optimistic."

He added that he hoped any deal would be back dated to September 31, when the previous contract expired.