organisation's decision to back Government workers threatening strike action.

The Hamilton East PLP MP was responding to comments made by Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott following an announcement that department workers could go on strike in two weeks over disciplinary procedures.

In Tuesday's Royal Gazette the Minister expressed surprise that the Union was coming out in support of a worker who made alleged racist comments to an expatriate colleague.

According to Mr. Scott the worker said: "Don't you know we kill Canadians in Bermuda and get away with it''.

But Mr. Burgess expressed outrage at the alleged remark and denied that it had been made in the first place. And he agreed with Mr. Scott that the union would not support a worker who made such a comment.

"I saw it in the paper and that's the first I've heard of it,'' he said.

"It never happened -- we have Canadians in the union and we would never condone anything like that -- we don't discriminate.

Mr. Burgess said he met with the union's Works and Engineering branch leader earlier in the day to discuss the matter.

"He also was very upset about it,'' Mr. Burgess said.

"But he has been dealing with the situation right from the start and he's never heard that remark -- it was never said and he would know.'' Union bosses and Department of Works and Engineering chiefs now have less than ten working days to make headway in the dispute.