The Progressive Labour Party has broken its silence as industrial unrest triggered by an impasse over the continuation of furloughs for government workers reaches a third day.

Opposition leader Marc Bean, in a statement, has called on the Bermuda Government to return to the negotiating table.

“The ongoing standoff between the Government of Bermuda and the Bermuda Trade Union Congress is an industrial matter, not a political matter, and thus the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party has stayed out of the fray.

“However, when due to the stubbornness of the Government, Bermudians continue to be inconvenienced due to service disruptions, we cannot remain silent.

“In Government, the PLP also had to work through disagreements with Bermuda’s unions; ?it is part of our democracy. However, the unwillingness of the Government to respond positively to a constructive outreach on the part of the BTUC to resolve this crisis and return to the negotiating table by gazetting a Labour Dispute Notice and threatening imprisonment is wholly unproductive.

“This? impasse can end today with humble, responsible and mature leadership from the Government and a return to discussions on the original? premise of the working group. That is a collaborative effort to find savings before any recourse to any of the drastic and draconian measures like [proposed public bodies reform legislation], continued austerity and a third year of reduced wages for public sector workers.

“We call on the Government to do what is necessary to get back to the negotiating table so that this escalating impasse can come to an end.”