who heeded the Island-wide strike call.

Employees have been told they will not be paid for time off work.

And they have been warned they risk being fired for similar walkouts in the future.

Hotel chiefs have issued the blunt warning in a circular to all employees who suspended work.

Yesterday, however, the letter was slammed as "intimidatory'' by Mr. Ottiwell Simmons MP, president of the Bermuda Industrial Union.

He accused management of attempting to instil fear in the minds of workers.

"They are looking for someone to pick on,'' he said.

But Mr. Dennis Tucker, president of the Hotel Employers of Bermuda, shrugged off the protest.

"We have had no response from the union, and quite honestly we are not looking for one.'' One letter obtained by The Royal Gazette was sent to Sonesta Beach employees on July 8.

Signed by Mr. David Boyd, president and managing director of Sonesta Beach Hotel, it said: "Legal counsel has advised that your absence from work during the dispute between the Bermuda Industrial Union and Bermuda Forwarders in consequence of the Bermuda Industrial Union's unlawful strike call, constituted a repudiation of your contract of employment, and could, if we so chose, be treated as the termination of your employment with us.'' Sanctions taken against employees who downed tools are then listed.

These include: No pay for time off work; Forfeiture of claims for lay-off compensation; and updating of personnel files with the letter.

The letter concludes: "It is important that you should understand that your absence from work in consequence of a call for an unlawful strike can, in the employer's discretion, have the consequence of terminating your employment.

Please be advised that in the event of any similar occurrence in the future, we will take into account the fact that it will have occurred with full knowledge of the potential consequences.'' Mr. Simmons hit back by refuting management claims the strike was unlawful.

"Who are they to say so? There was no call by the union for any strike in the hotels.

"All we asked was for people to suspend their work. It was really a silent call.'' Mr. Simmons attacked management for running down hotel workers, and failing to praise them for their efforts.

"Employers never tell them when they've done a good job. They are always ready to be critical.'' He added: "This is really a letter of intimidation. The employers are trying to place fear in the workers.'' Mr. Simmons said employers were free to fire off such letters, but the union would not be thrown off its stride.

"It's no skin off our nose. We are not going to worry about it,'' he said.

One hotel worker, who did not wish to be named, told The Royal Gazette he viewed he had been "harshly disciplined'' for walking out.

Mr. Tucker pointed out hotel chiefs had slapped an injunction on the BIU over its "unlawful'' strike.

It attempted to restrain the union, and its "agents'', from any further part in the industrial action, he said. "We want to make it clear to employees who went on strike what the implications of their actions are.'' Just 100 out of 2,500 unionised hotel workers answered the strike call.