tomorrow to discuss their poor working conditions in the wake of random industrial action last week.

Mr. Scott told The Royal Gazette yesterday that the refuse collection service was back to normal, with the backlog of trash now cleared.

But he said he was eager to put the workers' fears to rest.

Garbage was left strewn across the Island last week after the collectors randomly refused to pick-up bags of trash in protest of human and animal waste being left out for them by residents.

It is also thought they were upset about not being paid overtime for working weeks containing holidays.

But last night, Mr. Scott said he believed there was also discontent over the working conditions at the garbage disposal site at Marsh Folly.

He said: "There have been talks in my absence and I think a lot of the problems are resolved.

"But I want to talk to the supervisors because I understand their concerns.

"Nobody has actually spoken to me about the working conditions at the site, but I know the workers are unhappy about them and I appreciate why. They are really not good. In the summer heat, the place becomes more intolerable.

"We do have plans to pull down the site and re-build it and that is what I will be telling the collectors. We do plan to improve that whole area.'' Mr. Scott said he also sympathised with the trash collectors who had faced animal and human faeces on their daily pick-ups across the Island.

And in a bid to educate people on how to get rid of natural waste products, he said he was planning to launch a leaflet giving advice and information.

"I want the men and women working at the plant to have their say on how things can be improved for them all round, which is why I am having this meeting,'' added Mr. Scott.

"After that we will consider what kind of campaign and advice there should be.

"But I would like to take this opportunity to urge the public to be considerate towards the workers, and to thank those people who have already offered support.'' President of Bermuda Industrial Union Derrick Burgess said he would not be at the meeting on Wednesday and, as far as he was aware, any problems had been resolved.

And, referring to the faeces being left in bags, he added: "The industrial action won't happen again, as long as the Government does the necessary public relations. I hope people around the Island think of the workers and refrain from doing this sort of thing.''