Last night The Minister of Home Affairs the Hon. Walton Brown JP MP contacted the President of the Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU) Chris Furbert and Chief Executive Officer of Stevedoring Services Mr. Warren Jones with the intention of brokering an agreement between the two parties to bring the dock strike to an end.
Consequently, both the BIU and Stevedoring Services have agreed to voluntary arbitration. In the meantime, the workers have returned to work. Dock workers were informed this morning of the agreed approach taken by the union and management.
Stevedoring Services agreed to withdraw the Supreme Court Action, due to take place this morning, if the workers returned to work this morning.
Minister Brown said, "One of my main objectives as the Minister responsible for labour is that we have good labour relations in this country; meaning that when issues or disputes arise, we can resolve them amicably prior to the unfolding of more dramatic action. I am very grateful that both parties were open to having these discussions with me and I want to thank the two of them for helping to further the mutual trust between us, which is key in getting us beyond these kinds of divides."