the embattled Bermuda Industrial Union.

A Supreme Court injunction could be among a battery of measures -- unless there is a return to work.

"The ability of the hospitals to cope with the situation indefinitely is limited,'' said Mr. Hume Martin, executive director of the Bermuda Hospitals Board. Forty out of 341 BIU staff at King Edward and St. Brendan's have walked out.

The Bermuda Telephone Co. Ltd. is also considering slapping an injunction on the union. Striking by half the firm's 200 unionised workers has delayed line repairs and installations.

Yesterday, the national strike's second day, was marked by a slight drift back to work in some areas, noticeably on the buses.

Pickets stayed away from Hamilton Docks for the first time in days, allowing free movement of Stevedoring Service's containers.

Bermuda Forwarders, the Washington Street bus depot and the Civil Air Terminal were also free of picket lines.

But lines were set up temporarily at the Public Transportation Board, Marine and Ports, and the Pembroke Dump.

The PTB was the scene of one of day's potentially biggest flash points.

Police were called when seven pickets threw themselves in front of a bus leaving the depot. Their action held up a line of six buses for up to 20 minutes.

The officers, however, persuaded the men to move, and there were no arrests.

Tensions also ran high at the Front Street ferry terminal where workers, anxious to attend a union meeting, met to suspend a limited service.

A Royal Gazette reporter and photographer were greeted with menace during the impromptu meeting.

"No comment, no pictures,'' they were warned.

Tourists' plans were thrown into turmoil by the lunchtime suspension of ferry services on Paget-Warwick and Hamilton-Dockyard routes.

Among those hit were Mr. Bernard McMahon and his wife, Edwina, from Connecticut. "Our plans have been ruined,'' they said.

The day was saved for around 75 stranded passengers, however, when management operated one ferry, Patience , to Dockyard.

Industrial action also led to private tenders servicing the liner Queen Elizabeth 2, which arrived at 6 a.m.

Bus passengers received a welcome tonic with a slightly beefed-up service yesterday.

Mr. Larry Jacobs, assistant public transportation director, said buses ran on five of the Island's 11 routes. He hailed the "courage'' of 30 out of 90 bus operators who reported for work.

"I think they showed a lot of character.'' Mr. Dan Hoornweg, solid waste manager, said three garbage trucks hit the streets yesterday, covering Pembroke and Devonshire.

"We are trying to keep on top of things for St. George's,'' he added.

Mr. Hoornweg said many people were now using the Marsh Folly dump.

The hotel industry continued to escape lightly from the action -- although Marriott's Castle Harbour was hit by a lightning morning walkout by 50 men.

Despite the muted response to the strike call-out hotel chiefs yesterday warned strikers: "Your jobs could be in jeopardy.'' Elsewhere, the Post Office reported more disruption with its deliveries, and Sea-Land Construction's work on the Dockyard prison virtually came to a standstill.