Shadow Home Affairs Minister Michael Dunkley yesterday called for an inquiry into the docks after services were crippled Island-wide as unionised workers flocked to a meeting on the Stevedoring dispute.

Mr. Dunkley said: "It seems like every winter, summer, spring and fall there is a docks dispute. It generally happens when workers want to apply a bit of pressure.

"In this case workers on the dock got involved with a dispute about office staff.

"It's nothing to do with them. The Government has a duty to deal with it -- not let it drag on. We've had four disputes on the docks since the PLP Government came to power.

"Stevedoring Services is clearly an essential service -- but this type of action jeopardises the future of Bermuda -- businesses come here because they think it's a sophisticated place to do business.

He added: "We need a review of the situation on the docks. I called for this and Derrick Burgess supported it.'' Several hundred workers obeyed the call to Bermuda Industrial Union headquarters to hear about the docks dispute which has landed the union with a contempt of court action after their illegal overtime ban.

The dockworkers at the centre of the dispute were back to work by mid afternoon -- only three worked through the mid-morning meeting but many had called in sick.

Marine and Ports workers were all out with ferries resuming later in the day.

Docks dispute causes chaos The Post Office said all 70 of its BIU members downed tools, causing delays in mail delivery.

Buses were at a standstill by 11 a.m. and the service didn't recover fully until 2.45 p.m.

BIU boss Derrick Burgess said Stevedoring Services was not abiding by the ruling of a tribunal last year which agreed that office workers on the docks could have a union.

But the company is insisting on a ballot.

Mr. Burgess said a ballot wasn't necessary and that Stevedoring Service was dragging its feet after agreeing to let workers join the BIU.

He said the company had started deducting union contributions after four of the six office staff had signed up.

He said: "I don't understand why the company is taking this tack now.'' Mr. Burgess said the company had got what they wanted when last August's tribunal agreed the dockers and secretarial staff at the port would be governed by two separate agreements.

But Mr. Dunkley said the law stated companies had to ballot workers before the union was recognised.

And he echoed an earlier statement by Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox who said the overtime ban was illegal.

However Mr. Burgess said: "It's not illegal, we're following the collective agreement to the letter.'' "Overtime is not compulsory anywhere in the world. The only time is in national emergencies, not normal situations.'' Asked to comment on Ms Cox's point that it was scheduled overtime, Mr. Burgess declined to answer.

He also failed to say why the union had avoided a compulsory tribunal on Friday or whether it would attend the next one scheduled for the end of the month.

Mr. Dunkley slammed the union for not properly advertising the action which left scores of potential passengers waiting for buses which never came.

Public Transport Board boss Herman Basden said: "That's quite true. I was not informed about this.

"I've been doing this many years and have a pretty good rapport with the union but I only knew about this when I read about it in The Royal Gazette .

"But no one gave me official word, no one called me or wrote me a letter.'' Government is advising East End residents that garbage that was supposed to have been picked up yesterday will be collected today.

The Ministry of Works and Engineering expects that all collections will be completed by early in the afternoon.

Yesterday's service was interrupted due to the meeting.

Mass meeting: About 200 BIU workers gather at union headquarters yesterday to hear about the docks dispute.