revealed yesterday.

Marine and Ports workers -- members of the Bermuda Industrial Union -- will be skipping work in a bid to picket an arbitration meeting in Hamilton.

Labour and Home Affairs Minister Quinton Edness yesterday said: "We would like to inform the public that Marine and Ports services have received a verbal request from members of the Bermuda Industrial Union for permission for ferry services staff to leave their jobs to attend an arbitration hearing.

"If this attendance at the arbitration occurs, it will be very unorthodox and disruptive to the public.'' He added he had spoken to BIU leader Derrick Burgess about the move, which centres around the arbitration meeting, scheduled for the Reid Street offices of the Labour and Training department for 9.30 a.m.

Mr. Edness said: "I asked him to confirm what, if any, disruption we could expect to public services.

"He confirmed that there would be no disruption to the bus services and postal services, but could not confirm or deny whether there would be any disruption to any other Government services, such as garbage collection, Agriculture and Fisheries and other Works and Engineering staff.'' Mr. Edness added: "It's extremely unusual and inappropriate for this type of activity to take place at an arbitration site -- particularly when both sides have agreed to be bound by its decision.'' BIU puts brakes on ferries Mr. Edness refused to speculate on why the BIU had called for a stoppage of work. But he said the arbitration meeting would go ahead as scheduled.

And he added: "If it occurs, it's an unnecessary display that need not, and should not, have any affect at all on what takes place in the arbitration.'' Reports last night suggested that the latest industrial action stemmed from an outstanding matter in a freshly-minted negotiated agreement between the workers and the Government.

For a week earlier this summer, morning commuters were marooned when ferry workers took industrial action. The ferry workers launched an overtime ban to voice their protest slow wage negotiations.

The day before the Cup Match weekend workers agreed to a 2.98 percent wage increase for 1997.

Last night Mr. Burgess refused to comment on whether the summer dispute was the motive behind Monday's action or if the goal was to intimidate the Government on forthcoming negotiations.

Blue collar representatives were scheduled to head back to the bargaining table this month to hash out a wage agreement for 1998.

TRANSPORTION TRA