George's furious after piles of trash were left standing for most of the week.

Approximately 4,800 properties scattered throughout the Island were affected by the dispute although the actual cause remains unclear.

"It wasn't any formal industrial act,'' said Government solid waste manager Mr. Dan Hoornweg. "They just didn't want to work overtime. It's not clear what they were asking for. The ban really only lasted for one day but it was compounded by the breakdown of a number of trucks.'' But Bermuda Industrial Union president Mr. Ottiwell Simmons MP, blamed Government for the backlog.

"Government put on an overtime ban,'' he said. "It was not the workers, it was Government. As far as I know it's still going on.'' Government labour relations officer Mr. Gladstone Bassett said he knew nothing of the dispute.

Complaints of the situation were made to The Royal Gazette last week by an irate Devon Heights Road, Devonshire resident who said his garbage and that of surrounding areas, had remained in the heat since Tuesday.

"Normally if they don't pick it up they pick it up on Wednesday morning but that didn't happen,'' he said. "The trucks were all parked in the yard so I called (the pulverisation plant) Wednesday morning and asked a dispatcher what was going on and he said `that's a good question. I'd like to know myself' and gave me a number to call.

"I called the guy and he told me absolutely nothing but said it was possible the garbage might be picked up Thursday. I had to rebag the trash both nights because it was attacked by dogs. All I want to know is if they are coming today or should I just make sure the bags are out for (Friday).'' The man, who asked to remain anonymous, said his garbage and that of residents along Devon Heights Road, Melville Estate North, Devonshire Bay Road and Hibiscus Lane, had not been collected as of Thursday evening.

Sandys and Warwick residents also complained to The Royal Gazette but Mr.

Hoornweg said the effect was felt in all parishes.

"Hopefully the guys will be out tonight and it will be cleared up by the end of this week,'' he said. "Sometimes if they don't get finished they work overtime to complete but with that and the truck breakdowns the problem was compounded.'' Mr. Hoornweg said probably half of the Island's 12 zones were affected by the ban. He said the approximately 800 units affected in each of the six zones, fell under residential and commercial areas.

"For each of the days, the problem occurred sporadically with no rhyme or reason,'' he said. "Some got their trash picked up, others didn't but most will be collected Thursday with loose ends collected Friday.'' A DOG'S DELIGHT -- Garbage from hundreds of homes around the Island was left uncollected this week as an overtime ban raged between Government and labourers.