The current dispute over redundancies at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital could drag on indefinitely -- at massive expense to the taxpayer.

For The Royal Gazette has learned that both sides in the dispute are expecting the other party to make the first move towards any settlement.

The ten nursing staff demanding a redundancy pay-off have been on fully paid administrative leave since the beginning of last December -- and with the talks in deadlock the Bermuda Hospitals Board could be forced to pay out salaries to the ten former staff indefinitely.

On Monday it was claimed that, while talks were at a delicate stage, both parties were negotiating for a settlement. While the Bermuda Hospitals Board is prepared to hire all ten nurses in different positions at the hospital, it is understood that a majority of the nurses are demanding redundancy pay-offs.

But last night sources in both camps declared that the ball was in the other's court.

A hospital insider claimed that all ten nurses had been offered alternative positions at the hospital -- and that was the only offer on the table.

"It's up to them to either take it or leave it -- we're waiting for them to get back to us,'' the insider said.

But one ex-staff member explained that the nurses were also playing a waiting game and expected the Bermuda Hospitals Board to come up with a fresh proposal.

Former Assistant Director of Nursing Sandra Allen, who has been doing volunteer work at the Matilda Smith Williams Seniors Residence in Paget since going on leave, said: "They made us an offer and that was unacceptable.

"We have rejected that and so now the ball is in their court again. They have to make us another offer. We are expecting redundancy pay, or at least some sort of severance pay.'' A hospital spokeswoman later confirmed that no time limit had been imposed on the nurses to consider management's offer.

And that means that, with the talks in deadlock, the board could end up paying thousands of dollars in salaries for staff that are no longer working for the hospital.

Last night Bermuda Public Services Association General Secretary Ed Ball Jnr.

would not comment on the dispute.

But it is understood that BPSA officials will be meeting with the ten staff on Friday.

UNIONS UNS