Labour unrest at the docks has not intensified following a general membership meeting at the Bermuda Industrial Union last night.

BIU president Derrick Burgess refused to elaborate any further than to say that the dock workers will continue on the job as they have done all week.

But Shadow Labour Minister Michael Dunkley has blasted Government for its handling of the latest docks disruption.

Mr. Dunkley went on the offensive after both Labour Minister Paula Cox and Attorney General Dame Lois Brown Evans refused to make a stand on whether or not the current industrial unrest at the docks was legal.

And the Devonshire North MP has also renewed calls for an independent body to examine working practices at the docks following a catalogue of disputes between workers and contractors Stevedoring Services.

Because the operation of Hamilton's docks is regarded as an essential service, Mr. Dunkley argued that workers should have given 21 days notice before taking any form of industrial action -- as the law states.

But management was advised that staff would refuse to carry out overtime just a few days before that action kicked in last weekend.

Despite the apparent illegality of the action Ms Cox has repeatedly refused to be drawn on whether or not dockers were breaking the law.

When questioned by The Royal Gazette she said: "I don't have any views that I'm prepared to articulate at this time.'' And last night Dame Lois, who as Attorney General is responsible for overseeing legislation, downplayed the whole issue. She revealed that she has not even been briefed on the matter.

"I expect to be briefed on this on Tuesday,'' she said. "All I know is there's an overtime ban. I've been in meetings all day and have just come home to relax and get caught up on the news. I am just getting ready to read your paper right now.'' Dame Lois held that the dispute is not a dire one.

"If it were urgent, she (Ms Cox) would have called an emergency meeting of all the Ministers,'' she said. "Apparently it's not that serious.'' Although the latest dispute was effectively put on hold on Wednesday evening after Ms Cox ordered the matter to arbitration, dockers once again failed to carry out any overtime throughout the day yesterday.

When asked by The Royal Gazette if they would now be working around the clock in a bid to clear the backlog of cargo waiting to be unloaded, one worker replied: "We just don't know. You know as much as we do -- go and ask management.'' But last night Mr. Dunkley rapped Government for allowing the disruptions to drag on for six days, arguing that, if the action is illegal, then steps should have been taken immediately to get staff back to work.

Mr. Dunkley said: "There are two things that I have touched on before and they are important to remember.

"I am not supporting either side in the current dispute. But my concern comes from the fact that with the docks being our lifeline to the outside world it's important that these disputes are handled effectively.

"The docks are an essential service and certainly overtime has to be considered part of the normal working week. We are jeopardising the proper functioning of an essential service.

"I am pleased that it has now gone to arbitration but I am disappointed that it has taken a week to get there. It's been a week when we haven't had that essential service operating effectively.

"Hopefully we can learn from our mistakes and maybe it's about time we can move forward with the review suggestion. Maybe the Minister can take a look at having a review by a non-partisan group.

"I would suggest that the Minister is hedging and I don't want to speculate on her reasons.

"But in the past the UBP has also failed to enforce the law at the docks and she is continuing that trend.

"I don't support that. And if we have laws, then we ought to abide by them.

If she is hedging, then there must be some break in the law and it just makes a mockery of putting legislation in place in the first place if we're not going to abide by it or enforce it.''