Industrial turmoil is set to rumble on at Bermuda Telephone Company after workers threw out a management proposal to break a two-week-old dispute.

BTC executives said they would give a written warning to Vonda Burgess -- the worker whose suspension triggered a four-day walkout -- and consider the matter closed.

But the "offer'' was rejected at a hastily convened meeting of BTC members of the Bermuda Industrial Union last night.

Now workers' representatives will schedule talks with the Labour Relations Office to take their arguments to arbitration.

Chris Furbert, the BIU's first vice president, said a meeting was now being arranged with talks mediator Glen Fubler.

He told The Royal Gazette : "The workers didn't accept what management had on the table.

"That was a written warning for the lady who was suspended for two days.

"She doesn't deserve that and we are not prepared to accept that. The next step will probably be arbitration.'' He said union leaders would bid to meet with Mr. Fubler, Bermuda's Labour Relations Officer, and Edwin Wilson, the Director of Labour and Training, later today.

"Our first job is to notify them of our decision officially,'' said Mr.

Furbert. "They will in turn speak to the Bermuda Telephone Company.'' He said BTC managers had placed "a few other items'' on the table, surrounding possible policy changes.

"We believe these things should be discussed with the employees and that's why we gathered them together,'' added Mr. Furbert. "The union is the sole and exclusive bargaining agent for them.'' Around 75 workers attended last night's meeting at BIU headquarters which lasted for an hour and 45 minutes.

Afterwards, Mr. Furbert would not rule out more industrial action but said it was "unlikely at the moment''.

He added that the possibility of more talks to end the dispute now rested with the Labour Relations office.

"We were in mediation anyway,'' he said. "They may ask for more meetings but the most logical next step would be to go to arbitration.'' The unofficial strike was sparked by the decision to suspend Ms Burgess for two days on March 16, for leaving her post.

Union bosses claimed BTC management failed to follow proper grievance procedures by not issuing a warning before the suspension.

They also claimed 100 workers who took an hour off to protest to the BIU should have been paid for the time they missed.

Around 200 staff failed to show up for work the next day and the strike ended at 8 a.m. on Friday, March 20.

The issue of pay for the dissenting workers has never been on the agenda during lengthy talks with union representatives.

Bermuda Telephone Company vice president Karla Lacey Minors said last night: "Because we haven't received official notification, I cannot comment directly.

"But both parties have put a lot of effort into resolving the matter that led to the dispute.

"BTC has always had faith in the process and would expect that whatever steps are taken within the process, they will bring the matter to a speedy conclusion.'' Labour Minister Quinton Edness is still preparing a Board of Inquiry team to investigate the disharmony between managers and staff at BTC.

And The Royal Gazette also revealed that three senior executives were so disillusioned they had launched their own crusade for union bargaining rights for middle-managers at the company.

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