in the bitter Elbow Beach battle.

Mr. Wade said the union had been driven to threatening a three-day strike at the hotel.

"What else can it do?'' he asked in the Progressive Labour Party's first comment on the row.

Mr. Wade went on to urge Government, the business community, and hoteliers to force Elbow Beach to back down.

Bermuda Industrial Union president Mr. Ottiwell Simmons yesterday also went on the offensive.

He urged visitors to boycott the hotel -- and others in the Wyndham chain.

And he took a swipe at Government as well, saying it should force Elbow Beach to toe the line.

The hotel has been plunged into crisis since February after it refused to sign the Haughton award.

It tore up the new agreement between the BIU and the Hotel Employers of Bermuda, labelling it "lunacy''.

And instead, it offered its own worker-management contract -- triggering the union strike threat.

Mr. Simmons has vowed strike action once the hotel's occupancy figures hit 70 percent.

And special "strike instruction'' sheets have been handed to Elbow Beach staff.

These urge workers to "co-operate to the fullest during the strike''.

They add: "When an announcement to strike is made all employees are urged to immediately cease all work and consult shop stewards who will give specific instructions.'' Earlier this week union leaders claimed the hotel's occupancy levels would reach 70 percent this weekend, although they declined to give a strike date.

There has already been one false alarm amid conflict over occupancy levels.

Yesterday Mr. Simmons was giving nothing away over a possible strike.

In his outburst, Mr. Wade said Elbow Beach should be made to recognise the BIU as the workers' representative.

And he stressed it was time for managers to return to traditional labour relations.

The PLP had always favoured negotiated settlements in an atmosphere for free collective bargaining -- rather than legislation.

Mr. Wade said the Labour Advisory Council was the best vehicle for resolving disputes.

"Nobody is happy with an imposed solution,'' he added.

Mr. Wade pointed out the BIU had been roundly condemned in the community -- including the PLP -- for refusing to sign the Hobgood Award on a new hotels' agreement.

But the reaction towards Elbow Beach for turning its back on the Haughton Award had been muted, said Mr. Wade.

Elbow Beach should be put under pressure from Government, the Chamber of Commerce, the HEB, and the Bermuda Hotels Association, to return to traditional labour relations in Bermuda.

This would mean recognising the BIU as the negotiating body for workers, said Mr. Wade.

And negotiations should be carried out in an atmosphere of goodwill and faith.

"Elbow Beach is the culprit in the present situation,'' said Mr. Wade, adding the BIU had been forced to threaten a strike.

"I hope it does not come to a strike, and I hope occupancy levels don't reach 70 percent.

"I don't think the union wants a strike. I believe they are using the strike threat as a tactic to get hotels to reconsider.

"The country needs a period of peace. The ball is clearly in the court of Elbow Beach.''