The Bermuda Industrial Union is preparing to release details on an ongoing rift with management at the Department of Marine and Ports, citing “concerns” about its director, Lieutenant Commander Richard Russell.

Speaking with The Royal Gazette after an announcement yesterday was postponed, Chris Furbert, the BIU president, said the union was still compiling information that would clarify the matter.

“If anything is going to happen, it’s not going to be over something that happened overnight,” Mr Furbert added.

A senior source within the department confirmed that unionised staff had “a couple of significant issues” with Lt Cdr Russell, who was appointed director in July 2014.

Those issues escalated about a month ago after a sharply worded exchange between the director and a ferry boat operator, the source added, calling it something that “really could have been handled differently”.

Contacted yesterday, Lt Cdr Russell said he was “totally unaware” of the nature of the grievance, and had written to Mr Furbert in an effort to find out.

“I have just been getting rumours of it — I have not been informed of anything, in writing or verbally,” he said.

Timekeeping has been an issue for the service, according to an interview Lt Cdr Russell gave this newspaper in July.

The department has also been affected by staff shortages caused by budget constraints.

Sinclair Samuels, the head of the union’s Marine and Ports division, could not be reached for comment yesterday.

However, at previous meetings Mr Samuels has spoken repeatedly of a disconnect between management and rank-and-file staff at the department.

Equipment maintenance has been a long-standing concern, while the department’s management has been described as relying on short-term measures.