The BIU have raised the spectre of an island-wide strike after calling an emergency meeting of BIU bosses on Monday to discuss the ACE job site dispute.

The move follows an escalation of the action after workers from four other companies came out in sympathy with the Precision-Somers joint venture crew causing a virtual shut down at the job site, where another insurer XL Capital is also building. The strike is set to continue today.

When asked whether a general strike was on the agenda, BIU Senior Vice President Chris Furbert said: "I can't tell you what the decision is going to be. We'll be giving information out to take back to the members. We hope it doesn't come to that.'' Around 18 divisional heads of the BIU will meet at noon on Monday to be told about the removal of eight workers at Precision-Somers.

They will then report back to members who will decide what further action to take.

Mr. Furbert said the strike centred around union recognition.

The company had claimed workers had walked off the site at 4 p.m. in the middle of a huge concrete pour which was then ruined while the BIU claim the workers had been given permission to leave work at that time days before. Mr.

Furbert said: "One guy was still there at 5.15 but he still got fired. We put in a letter of recognition to Precision-Somers on Thursday August 4 at 11.30.

By 4.30 on the Tuesday two workers had been laid off and six workers had been fired.'' Mr. Furbert said the company had then applied to the Immigration Board to bring in foreigners to take the places of the sacked workers. He said the union understood that some foreign workers were necessary but they shouldn't be brought in to replace sacked and laid off employees.

He said: "We are not going to sit down and let this sort of thing happen.'' Precision-Somers spokesman Roger Russell didn't deny they were attempting to bring in more overseas workers.

He said: "In a project of this size you know what manpower is needed for the job. It was decided long ago.'' However he appeared to hint that the company were on the verge of a climbdown last night, leaving open the possibility of reinstating the workers. He said: "We have got the Bermudian community at heart, that's our focus.'' He said the company hadn't had a formal meeting with the unions though informal contacts had been made.

Mr. Russell explained: "You can't help meeting the various members of the union. Bermuda is a small place. There has been some dialogue.'' The company shunned the chance to talk to the Government Labour Relations Officer yesterday, with management preferring to discuss the options amongst themselves.

Mr. Furbert said any climbdown from the company would have to be total with all eight workers being allowed back.

He said: "It's all or none. They would also have to agree to have a ballot over union recognition. Even so we'd still go ahead with Monday's meeting for information purposes.'' Joining the Sea-land workers in striking were around six foreign workers at C and T steel fixtures and 10 workers at Southern Pan Services.

Everybody out: Sea-land workers come out in sypathy with strikers from Precision-Somers at the ACE site.

BUSINESS BUC