Roberts reports Cablevision General Manager Don Greiner has stepped down from his position after 11 years in charge of Bermuda's cable TV.

And company insiders last night hinted his decision to quit may have been connected to the vote for union recognition by company staff.

American Mr. Greiner was not available to comment on his resignation last night.

Cablevision director Jeff Conyers said Mr. Greiner was suffering from ill health and may soon have to return to the US.

He said: "The reason for Don's resignation was really a health issue.

"There's obviously a lot of stuff swirling around concerning the union recognition.

"But the the fact that the workers got that recognition wasn't going to make or break Don Greiner.

"He had a bad illness recently and he's been talking about going back to the States for treatment.'' Mr. Greiner, a former North Carolina State basketball player, has been in charge of Cablevision since 1988.

One company insider said: "He really wasn't too happy about the unionisation ballot going through. That's why he stepped down.'' But Assistant General Manager Debbie DeSilva, temporarily in the Cablevision hotseat, said: "I'm going to have to give a `no comment' right at this stage.'' The row over unionisation started hotting up when some staff picketed Cablevision's Laffan Street headquarters on August 31.

And the service department employees finally won recognition by the Bermuda Industrial Union last September after nine of 15 workers voted for the labour rights.

Cablevision founder Gavin Wilson said no Bermudian could match Mr. Greiner's expertise when he was appointed to the firm.

But he added: "It's the workers' rights to have union recognition if they feel that that's their best way to get representation.

"No-one has the right to stand in their way but I'm not party to any inside information and I'm not going to guess why Mr. Greiner resigned.'' Bermuda Industrial Union President Derrick Burgess said last night: "I just learned today that Mr. Greiner had stepped down.

"I don't know the reason why and I don't want to speculate.'' STEPPING DOWN -- Don Greiner Derrick Burgess