its laundry and housekeeping staff for a 40-hour week, as set out by the old collective bargaining agreement.

In hearings before the Essential Industries Disputes Settlement Board at the Cathedral Hall, BIU president Mr. Ottiwell Simmons said: "We understand that the laundry workers at Stonington are not being paid according to the agreement.

"Instead of being paid a 40-week wages as in the agreement, they are paid by the hour and always work fewer hours than the 40-hour week. The same is happening with housekeeping staff.'' Mr. Simmons raised the point as Hotel Employers of Bermuda witness and former Bermuda College president Dr. Archie Hallett wound down his testimony.

Dr. Hallett was brought to the hearings because HEB lawyer Mr. Stephen Shawe said he assumed the union was disputing its entire agreement with Stonington.

The hotel, which is mainly operated by 10 trainers and students, has a separate agreement with the union which includes most articles found in the old HEB/BIU collective bargaining agreement.

But yesterday Mr. Simmons said while the union was not disputing the whole agreement, the union wanted the agreement included in any new collective bargaining agreement.

But he said, before that happens the union wanted laundry and housekeeping staff at Stonington to be paid for a 40-hour week and its bar system to operate like those in other hotels.

Dr. Hallett said oprational staff ot "regular paid employees'' were brought to Stonington after the number of students -- who make up the bulk of the hotel's staff -- enrolled at the College's hotel school declined after 1982.

However the agreement with the BIU makes it clear that if enrolment goes up, the staff can be laid off with severance pay.

Dr. Hallett said since Stonington does not collect gratuities from guests, an incentive scheme was developed for operational staff, which includes housekeeping, dining, and bell staff.

Under the system a dining room waiter would receive basic pay plus $1 to $2 for every meal served.

Under cross examination by Mr. Simmons he admitted Stonington maids who work up to 40 hours get paid by the hour. But, he said, if they work over 40 hours, they get time and a half.

Mr. Shawe interrupted saying: "There's no maid on this Island who relies on a 40-hour work week.

"For Mr. Simmons to say that maids at Stonington should have been working 40 hours goes against what the union has requested in the past and what has happened historically in this industry.

"When she (a maid) works more hours, she will be paid more,'' he stressed.

"And when she works less, she will be paid less.'' However, Mr. Shawe said: "We would be happy to alter every maid's regular hours to 40 if the union proposes it.'' President of the BIU's hotel division Mr. Herbert Bascome said in most cases maids work less than a 40-hour week.

But, he said, according to the old collective bargaining agreement and customary practice, they get paid for 40 hours during the high season when occupoancy is over 70 percent.

Mr. Bascome was the first witness for the union, whose case began yesterday afternoon.

Mr. Bascome accused the HEB of trying, during the hearings, to portray the union as a destructive force to the Country.

But, he stressed, he and many other hotel workers with years of experience had worked hard to help Bermuda's main industry.

"We put a lot of work into helping this Country and we get no reward or thank you from these hoteliers,'' he told board chairman Prof. Ronald Haughton.

"You and your board have got to make recommendations in order to improve the relationship between the HEB and BIU because if not it will destroy Bermuda.'' The talks resume this morning.