firing of two Grotto Bay Hotel employees "unjustified and unwarranted''. And he claimed hotel general manager Mr. George Robinson instructed supervisors to "find reasons'' to get rid of the men.

The accusations came as hearings into the dismissal of three Grotto Bay workers resumed before the Essential Industries Disputes Settlement Board.

Storeroom manager Mr. Erwin Whitter, who was fired on grounds of "insubordination and failure to do work assigned'', told the Board he thought his firing was "a joke'' until he was asked to surrender his keys.

Describing the event which led to a confrontation with his supervisor, hotel comptroller Mr. Earle Michlin, Mr. Whitter said he did not think the incident was serious enough to warrant his dismissal.

He told the Board he was unable to stock a large shipment of goods which had been delivered to the hotel on the morning of April 16 because he was busy collecting items for a bar which was opening the next day.

An exchange ensued when Mr. Michlin told him that the goods had to be stocked in the storeroom, and not left in a hallway where Mr. Whitter had moved them from the loading dock.

Mr. Whitter was working three hours each day at the time and because of cutbacks, was the storeroom's only remaining employee.

"I want to make it clear there was never a time where I was insubordinate to any member of management,'' Mr. Whitter told the Board. "I was just doing the best I could.'' According to earlier testimony by Grotto Bay managers, Mr. Whitter had "a good record'' and had never undergone any disciplinary action before the incident with Mr. Michlin.

Mr. Simmons said Mr. Whitter "was really terminated because George Robinson gave the word'', and that Mr. Michlin "set Erwin up'' by provoking a confrontation.

But Mr. Robinson said the storeroom manager was "fully responsible to see that goods were secured and properly stored, which is what he failed to do'' and "clearly displayed an attitude and insubordination to his superior''.

Mr. Larry Robinson, who dismissed from his bar porter job in April because of "a failure to work according to his schedule'', said he had been working earlier hours for months without any problem.

Mr. Robinson said his supervisor at the time, former resident manager Mr. Alan Lugo, did not object to this until the Grotto Bay general manager began to apply pressure.

Rather than stocking the bar between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., Mr. Robinson would arrive at 7 a.m., finishing four hours later. Mr. Simmons pointed out that this meant Mr. Robinson was doing an extra non-paid hour of work.

Mr. Robinson was fired after several warnings and a two-day suspension. The hearings continue today with testimony from the third fired employee, Mr.

Barry Smith.