The rise, thought to be two percent, was agreed in February but union chiefs said nurses were after more and that they were underpaid compared with the US.

Under the new deal, pension benefits have been brought in for guest workers.

Union leader Ed Ball of the Bermuda Public Servants Association said in February that the deal had been done under duress, as nurses were still earning less than $30 an hour.

He said his union would continue to fight for better wages.

Last night Shadow Health spokesman Kim Young said staff numbers needed to be boosted at the hospital.

She said: "They are short in the operations room and intensive care which means they have to take nurses from elsewhere.'' "They don't have the training. We need to make sure we get the correct staff.'' She said pay rates needed to be made more attractive to encourage nurses to come to Bermuda.

"If we don't we will be in dire straits. There is a shortage of nurses.''