City workers are looking forward to building a more productive relationship with the Corporation of Hamilton after gaining union recognition earlier this week.

The 90-plus industrial staff returned to work on Wednesday morning after a two-day walkout which left garbage piled high in the streets. The Corporation conceded membership of the Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU) late on Tuesday evening, after repeated refusals to recognise the workers' ballot for representation in November 2005.

In a statement, Hamilton Mayor Sutherland Madeiros said: "We made the decision today to move forward with the BIU and look forward to working with them."

The City ground to a halt on Monday when workers walked out in protest at the firing of two employees.

Services such as trash collection were suspended as staff refused to return to work until the pair was reinstated. Some claimed the firings were done "in retaliation" for a walkout last week in which more than 70 staff marched on City Hall in protest of working conditions.

In the second walkout, employees marched out of a meeting with the Corporation at Number One Shed, walking along Front Street, past City Hall and on to the BIU offices.

Following a series of crisis meetings, the two sacked workers were reinstated, but staff vowed not to return to work until the issue of union representation was resolved.

Last night BIU President Chris Furbert said the Corporation's decision had been roundly welcomed by employees.

"The workers are very satisfied now they have the BIU to represent them," said Mr. Furbert.

"We are now looking forward to building a better relationship with the Corporation of Hamilton. We had a good relationship before, but now whenever a worker receives a warning or disciplinary, the BIU has the right to represent that worker.

"After we won the ballot (on union certification) in 2005 we tried to go into grievance meetings but the Corporation said they hadn't officially recognised the BIU so they wouldn't allow us into those meetings. So now we're hoping to make this better."

But Mr. Furbert added: "I think it's a bad day when we had to threaten an employer with industrial action. It was a basic issue over fundamental workers' rights. I'm glad all that is behind us now."

The union will now meet with the workers, before sitting down with management to draw up an agreement for terms and conditions of employment.

Mr. Furbert said: "We will sit down with the workers and ask them what they want to see, and then present those proposals to management."