on management unionisation.

At the annual general meeting of the Council this month, president Garry Madeiros told a packed audience of corporate bosses there would be "serious ramifications'' if managers were ever unionised.

"Should a strike or industrial action take place then the operation would be in serious jeopardy should management personnel withdraw their services,'' he said.

But yesterday Bermuda Industrial Union chief Derrick Burgess dismissed the claims.

Mr. Burgess told The Royal Gazette : "The stance taken by Mr. Madeiros is not surprising.

"The many struggles led by this union were by no means overcome without a fight but that fight has led to most of the benefits workers take for granted today.

"The voluntary system has not worked in recent years. In fact, now more than ever we see blatant refusals by employers to hold a ballot for employees to vote on union recognition. When the employers complained about the workers' right to take strike action within the hotel industry, Government was quick to enact legislation to prevent strikes.

"Now that we have proposed legislation that upholds the workers' most basic fundamental right to union recognition, the employers complain.

"The BEC has stated that they do not want managers to be in the same bargaining unit as their subordinates. The BIU has never stated that managers would be in the same bargaining unit. The BIU has never mentioned closed shops either.

"Mr. Madeiros was also very critical of the union's history. On that note, let me say that in any situation there would be no progress without a struggle and perhaps if employers were more willing to do what's right by their workers there would be no need for trade unions.'' Mr. Madeiros responded by claiming that he was trying to be objective and believed it was necessary for both workers and management to change their attitudes.

"I think he's right when he says that if employers had treated their staff correctly it wouldn't be necessary for unions to come about,'' he said.

"We can never forget why or how unions came about. But for us to be successful both parties have to change. They have to look at how they are performing. I think both sides have acted inappropriately and if that continues we will never be successful.''