handle emergency situations.

However Home Affairs and Labour Minister Quinton Edness diffused the situation when he set the dispute down to be heard by a third party.

The work slowdown hit the Bermuda Fire Service when the out-of-uniform firefighters from the Bermuda Fire Service Association downed tools and congregated in a parking lot adjacent to the main fire hall on King Street.

Both the BFSA and BFS administration refused to shed any light on the situation while officials met to resolve the problem.

Later Mr. Edness said: "The dispute is difficult to put in one sentence as it is a combination of a number of things.'' But he stressed that the in-house action had no connection with the wildcat strike taken by Union members.

He said one party was citing poor communication as the cause while the other said it was about conforming to the orders of the Service.

These had led to the relationship between the two deteriorating, he continued.

However Mr. Edness said he had met with the parties involved and after receiving outside advice had immediately referred the matter to a tribunal who would affect a resolution.

Because he had done that, he said he believed the firefighters would go back to regular work while they awaited a decision.

Earlier in the day they had said they would only respond to emergency situations in industrial action which was essentially illegal.

"I've been informed the members have agreed they'll only respond to emergency calls,'' Mr. Edness subsequently told The Royal Gazette .

"I want to point out however that these actions are against the law. The Fire Service is an essential service. We've had no notice; we only heard about it this morning. Twenty one days notice is required,'' he said.

BFS spokesman Lt. Jon Thompson was unavailable for comment.

FIREFIGHTERS FIR Wildcat strike hits Bermuda the BIU about union recognition at the two shops -- which were now legally different companies.

And he added that a collective agreement said to be in force under the two shops' previous owner had never in fact been signed.

Yesterday Mr. Edness called an urgent meeting with Government legal advisors and labour relations experts.

He said afterwards that Mr. Thomson, who could not be contacted by The Royal Gazette last night, had done nothing illegal.

And Mr. Edness added that he understood that Mr. Thomson had now received a BIU letter asking that he recognise a ballot on union representation and that he understood the businessman was considering his position.

Mr. Edness said: "The principle driving the the union is that they are looking for recognition to be given.

"There is no method in this Country for a majority of people in a work unit to cause a ballot to be taken.'' Mr. Edness said it had been practice in the past for employers to allow union ballots -- but the situation had changed in recent times.

And he added: "There is no law to make an employer hold a ballot, although constitutionally everyone should have the right of representation.

"We are trying to work on this but we can't do anything unless the workers go back to work.'' He said industrial action was illegal in essential services and industries without 21 days notice.

And Mr. Edness added: "This sort of thing can't continue and we shouldn't be doing things now to threaten the Island's economy.

"We are at the beginning of our new season and I wouldn't wish us to do anything which will affect the welfare of Bermudians and their families.''