Unionised workers at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess hotel have downed tools in protest after five staff were made redundant.

And Bermuda Industrial Union president Chris Furbert said his members will remain off the job until management “comes to its senses” and a resolution can be found.

The staff — including three bar porters and two in-room dining captains, were given just two days notice before being released two weeks ago. There followed a series of meetings between union leaders and hotel management last week. It is understood that management refused to budge on its initial position, insisting that the redundancies were justified.

Hamilton Princess employees met behind closed doors this morning to discuss management’s position. They emerged from that meeting one-and-a-half hours later and marched straight to BIU headquarters.

Some workers told The Royal Gazette that they were not taking industrial action and intended to return to work after a show of solidarity for their sacked colleagues.

But after arriving at BIU headquarters, the staff met with Mr Furbert who later confirmed that his members were “off the job”.

Staff at the Hamilton Princess’s sister resort, the Southampton Princess also had a meeting this morning, but voted to delay any action for 24 hours.

At a press conference this afternoon, Mr Furbert said: “I can tell you that the decision by the Southampton Princess staff is that they are giving management 24 hours to come to their senses on this matter. The Hamilton Princess staff have decided that they are off the job — they are not going back on the job until this matter is resolved.”

The union claims management has broken the collective bargaining agreement and that there was no consultation with the union before the staff were axed. There are also concerns that bar staff are now being asked to take on the duties of the redundant bar porters.

“I have been involved in the union for 40 years and over the years that I have been around the negotiating table I have never seen a redundancy handled like this.”