Staff at Arnold's supermarket are taking their boss to an employment tribunal. Eleven managers will present their case next month against Frank Arnold of the Arnold Group, claiming unfair working practices and exploitation.

They claim they have to work 60-plus hours a week for no extra pay and are therefore owed thousands of dollars in back pay.

The group will represent the 13 Arnold's managers on the Island — mainly expats — who work in six stores in Hamilton, Pembroke, Somerset, Warwick and Sandys.

Among their grievances is also a perceived disregard for health and safety. The Department of Labour and Training is to set a date for the tribunal after negotiations broke down last week.

Administrator Paula Carlington said: "A complaint was filed and the labour relations officer was unable to effect a settlement between the two parties.

"It's a managerial level dispute and we are trying to get a mutually-agreed date for the hearing."

One store manager, who did not wish to be named, told The Royal Gazette that employees had approached Government nine months ago but that their grievances had built up "over several years".

He said managers were forced to work long, anti-social hours.

"The labour law in Bermuda states that a working week is 40 hours but in our contract it's unclear what we're allowed to work. Our contracts are open-ended so Mr. Arnold can call us when he wants, and he does.

"We have a schedule of 60 hours a week. It's required in our contract to work more than 40 hours, but there is no ceiling on this and no overtime paid, so that's a big problem. It actually means that our take-home pay is equivalent to the hourly rate of a cashier."

He added: "What we are asking from the tribunal is to rectify what Mr. Arnold hasn't paid us. We're asking for back pay for what has not been paid over 40 hours. We also want time-and-a-half for anything worked over 40 hours."

Arnold's managers receive a weekly gross salary of $1,500 and assistant managers $1,260.

The source said staff only get one day off a week and sometimes have to work up to 13 days in a row. Their working hours are usually taken in 11 hour shifts between 6 a.m. and midnight.

Another store manager said: "I just want to be paid as the law provides. It's a very tiring job when you have to work 60 hours a week.

"I am feeling positive about the tribunal. It's going to be a step forward."

Mr. Arnold was last night unavailable for comment.