Another day, and what feels like another bus strike.

No one disputes the right of workers to withdraw their labour over legitimate grievances that have not been resolved, but the frequent occurrence of "meetings" called with little or no notice by people providing services to the public has surely gone too far.

Yesterday, hundreds of people were deprived of public transport without notice or warning when bus drivers left their posts to attend a meeting following a disciplinary action against a staff member the day before.

It is also well understood that the Bermuda Industrial Union wishes to take instructions from its members before pursuing a particuarly course of action.

But the frequency of these disputes, especially when the grievance is quickly resolved, as this one apparently was, makes one wonder if the union's main aim is to get direction or to apply pressure to the employer.

In the end, the biggest loser is the public, who are seriously inconvenienced, especially at a time when Government is rightly attempting to encourage greater use of public transport and will at some point make it free.

What makes it worse is the likelihood that the employees will still be paid for attending a union meeting when they have failed to provide a service and when the Public Transport Department has had no time to either warn the public or make alternative arrangements.

It's time to say enough is enough.