are taken for granted' By Karen Smith Hundreds of disgruntled nurses marched through the streets of Hamilton yesterday before descending on Parliament in a protest for better pay and conditions.

Chanting "the nurses united will never be defeated'' and with banners raised above their heads, they snaked their way around the city to make the community aware of their plight.

They are asking the Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) to increase their salaries and bring them into line with the pay scales of other countries, and are asking for conditions to be improved and all ranks to be treated fairly.

The nurses claim top-rank `allied staff', such as x-ray technicians, are paid just a dollar or two less than nurses, who carry more responsibility and have to have substantially more training.

And they claim members of the Bermuda Industrial Union, including technicians and orderlies, are generally given a better deal because the union had fought harder over the years.

Sister Golinda Fox, second vice-president of the Bermuda Public Services Association and responsible for hospital nurses, said nurses did not blame Government. The problem has existed for years she said: "I am proud of the nurses. And by the numbers out here today, it's evident that the Bermuda Hospitals Board will have to take a look at how the nurses are being treated.

"I know they have started and initiated the proposal, however, the conditions... were unsatisfactory.

The nurses have not revealed how far they're willing to take the protests: "At no time did we say there were going to be sit outs. We have not got to that position yet.

"We are asking the minister to bring resolution to this matter. It's not the fault of the Government. It has been long overdue.

"Nursing is a profession, not a vocation.'' Male registered nurse Tim Bishop was on the march at midday yesterday, along with about a fifth of Bermuda's nursing hospital staff.

Nurses claim they've been `left behind' He said: "I'm here today because for a long time, nurses in Bermuda have been left behind.

"It's not just about money - it is more about the conditions. We are a caring profession, but we are not treated with respect.

"I think people know that we will not strike or leave sick people in their beds, so we are taken for granted. Other unions tend to get better deals because their members can be more militant. It is time something was done.'' Throughout the march yesterday, people came out of office buildings to show support to the protesters, drivers beeped their horns and even groups of school children chanted with the nurses.

And when the demonstrators, who had taken time in their lunch breaks to make the stand, handed their written concerns to Health Minister Nelson Bascome and Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott, passers-by stopped to watch.

A senior nurse, who only wished to be known as Jacky, said the protesters were asking for fairness.

She said: "We do not begrudge anyone else at the hospital anything at all, but we just think it should be fair and even.

"There have been a number of issues over the years, but now the board is trying to give us a pay scale change, and it is simply not fair across the board.

"Top scale emergency medical technicians do a minimum of 30 hours training, but get paid almost the same as nurses, who have a minimum of three years training.

"We just simply want a slice of the pie - that is not too much to ask, is it?'' Ed Ball, General Secretary of the Bermuda Public Services Association, said the union had always fought on behalf of its members, but said it did not always have great bargaining powers because the nurses would not dream of withdrawing all of their services.

He said: "The BPSA has always fought, however, the union is only as effective as its members. They don't have the same power.

"We are trying to bring to the attention of Government that nurses feel that the terms and conditions in Bermuda must reflect what is happening around the world.

"The hospitals board did put a proposal to us, but it was non-negotiable and it was rejected by the nurses. We gave them a counter proposal, but that has not worked.

"Nurses in the US are paid about $45 an hour -- here it is about $30 an hour.

"There is an acute shortage of nurses everywhere, but other countries are trying to tackle it, as well as making sure they keep staff. Bermuda must begin to recognise what is happening and fall in line.'' Mr. Bascome has been in talks with the BPSA and nursing staff since Monday and said he supported their concerns and sympathised with their predicament.

And he said although he was not wearing a Santa Claus outfit, he hoped to be able to offer them a special Christmas gift, although he said he did not believe their concerns were mainly about money.

He said: "We had a meeting on Monday and quite a number of their concerns were highlighted.

"I said I would work feverishly to get a number of their issues dealt with before today came -- and I have been doing that.

"The BPSA and the ministry are trying to get this resolved.

"We are moving it forward and they have my full support and sympathy.'' And to the nurses themselves, he said: "I think the people in Bermuda will start to recognise that nurses do have a say. You will not go unrecognised by myself.

"You are to be commended for the efforts you have made today. Hopefully, the biggest Christmas gift will be my ministry giving to you that which you deserve.''