a protest over excessive working hours, The Royal Gazette can reveal.

The full-time physicians are refusing to do any work outside of their job descriptions in a bid to force hospital management to reach a new deal.

Hospital sources say the dozen doctors involved in the dispute are working around 100 hours a week.

The Royal Gazette understands they want the Bermuda Hospitals Board to resolve the problem through a combination of reduced hours and more pay as compensation for overtime.

A hospital source said the doctors, who began the work to rule yesterday, will not turn their backs on emergency patients or create a crisis in the hospital.

But the industrial action should mean them working around 50-60 hours a week instead of 100. It is understood the doctors, who are all experienced physicians rather than recent medical school graduates, resorted to work to rule after negotiations with hospital management over the past year failed to bring results.

A hospital source said last night: "For the longest while now physicians have been working well excess of their hours, up to 100 hours-plus which means their hourly rates are much lower than other health professionals.

"They will just be working to their job descriptions. I don't think it will cause any crisis because they will deal with emergencies and will not break the Hippocratic oath.'' It was not known last night what impact the work to rule was having on the running of the hospital.

Bermuda Public Service Association (BPSA) general secretary Ed Ball Jr. said last night: "I can confirm that it (work to rule) has begun. Talks are ongoing between Bermuda Hospitals Board and the BPSA.

"I hope it will not be ongoing for too long as both parties are working to resolve the issue.'' Hospital duty administrator Richard Lau refused to comment last night.