The Ministry, including the Labour Relations Section, has been engaged in mediation efforts over the last few days, pertaining to the industrial dispute between Stevedoring Services Limited and the Bermuda Industrial Union. It now appears that the parties remain at an impasse with no further progress being made.
Therefore, in accordance with Section 11 as read with Section 4 of the Labour Disputes Act 1992 the Minister of Labour, the Hon. Jason P. Hayward, JP, MP has referred the said dispute for settlement to the Labour Disputes Tribunal (Tribunal).
Once referred to the Tribunal, in accordance with section 19 of the Labour Disputes Act 1992, any lockout strike or irregular industrial action short of a strike is unlawful and any person who takes part in, incites or in any way encourages, persuades or influences any person to take part in, or otherwise acts in furtherance of, a lock-out, strike or irregular industrial action short of a strike that is unlawful under this section is guilty of an offence.
Speaking on the matter, the Minister of Labour, the Hon. Jason Hayward JP, MP, said, “The Government will continue to work with the parties involved to resolve this dispute. I am hopeful that the parties will find a resolution to this issue as soon as possible as it is in the public interest that the services at the dock can fully resume.