that employers had seen a draft document on union recognition ballots before Bermuda Industrial Union chief Derrick Burgess.

Mr. Edness said: "The employers don't have it -- I have finalised the draft with the Attorney General's Chambers and it hasn't gone to Cabinet yet.'' Mr. Edness was speaking after Mr. Burgess claimed the draft had gone to Cabinet -- and that "when such a document goes to Cabinet it goes to employers simultaneously''.

Mr. Burgess also claimed a "secret document'' was circulating among members of the Bermuda Employers Council suggesting "various delaying tactics to hold up this bill and ultimately prevent it being passed''.

But Malcolm Dixon of the BEC insisted no such document existed, adding that employers had concerns over legislation to allow mandatory workplace ballots on union recognition and de-recognition and that compromise on both sides would be needed.

Mr. Burgess added that Mr. Edness had claimed that an International Labour Organisation convention existed barring employees and management from being members of the same union.

And he said: "We have asked the Minister to produce this convention. To date he has not. He has not produced it because no such convention exists.

But Mr. Edness hit back that he did not claim a convention laying down a rule.

He said: "I am saying that we have discussed this with ILO representatives -- they do not support that there should a bargaining unit of the industrial staff as a whole and the management staff by the same union.''