Union leaders are "actively" looking at the ramifications that Government's decision to cut off overtime pay may have on its members.

Last week, acting Finance Minister Alex Scott in a bid to save money, announced the suspension of overtime pay for all Government employees, suspension of non-essential overseas travel by Government personnel, halting of noncritical capital acquisitions and placed a hiring freeze on vacant posts.

"There will be considerable tightening up of these areas," he said. "Overtime pay, that is also across the board as well. If there is overtime to be paid, there has to be a really good case being made for it."

However he said that in emergency situations like the recent storm that hit two weeks ago, where Parks Department and Works and Engineering crews worked overtime, there was compensation. But Bermuda Public Service Association's (BPSA) acting general secretary Thelma Hart said her union has been in active negotiations with Government departments in light of the proposed changes.

And Bermuda Industrial Union president Derrick Burgess said he will address the issue if his Government workers, which include Public Transportation and Marine and Ports, have concerns.

"We haven't been officially informed by Government - they haven't discussed it with us," Mr. Burgess said. "But buses and Marine and Ports, they do require overtime from time to time. If there is some concern, we will take it up."

It is understood that if there is a serious challenge to Government cutting overtime, then there is the possibility that some Government employees could lose their jobs.

"Any changes in people's working conditions is the subject of consultation," Ms Hart said. "Union and management will put their heads together to ward off anything like the loss of jobs. Certainly there is a clause in our Collective Bargaining Agreement to cover any changes."

But in areas such as Customs, where that department works in shifts at the airport, there is some question about how overtime will be handled. Ms Hart also said that the BPSA was looking into Government's decision to not to hire permanent workers for top Civil Servant posts.

"We're certainly not being passive about it, because it will impact the welfare of our workers," she said. "I would say each case will be evaluated on its own merit of what the impact will have on the employees in that particular department."

She added: "We are conscious of the global changes in the economy and what this means for the welfare of our members."