Workers at the new $70 million Berkeley Institute site have threatened to go on strike next week if management fails, yet again, to give them back pay dating from June.

About 60 workers employed by general contractor Pro-Active Management Systems Ltd. made the vow yesterday after the company failed in its promise to pay the back money this week.

One worker, who did not wish to be named, said some workers downed their tools just after lunchtime after they received their pay cheques, minus the back pay.

He said they only went back to work when Pro-Active president Arthur Ebbin claimed there had been a misunderstanding, but promised it would be included in next week's wages.

But the worker said he also feared there were cash flow problems on the site. He said pay cheques belonging to a handful of Pro-Active workers had bounced last week when they attempted to bank them.

As a result, he said those workers only received last week's wages on Wednesday and Thursday this week.

And he confirmed reports that the site was months behind schedule.

"Morale is very low down here," he said.

"Some guys have knocked off altogether today and others have gone home mad. We got a pay rise and were due back pay from June 5, but here we are, nearly October, and we are still waiting for it.

"We got a memo telling us it would be paid today, September 20, but now Arthur Ebbin is saying that memo was wrong.

"He said he didn't even know his office had sent out the memo, but I don't believe that because it's all anyone has talked about.

"We all have homes and bills to pay. We are waiting for this money. For some, it amounts to hundreds, even thousands, of dollars.

"The longer this goes on, the more money they will owe us."

But the worker also confirmed reports that the new secondary school site was behind schedule. It is due to open in September of next year, replacing the present Berkeley Institute site across the street.

The Royal Gazette reported in July how construction experts believed the project was five or six months behind, with one huge section of the school not even above ground.

But yesterday, the worker said he believed it was about four months behind.

"I think some parts of the building are on time, but there are some that are behind," he said.

"The bottom section of the school is behind schedule, and so is some of the top. I would say three, probably four, months behind. We have a roof on (the back section), but there are no windows in.

"We are a long way behind putting in the windows."

But the worker said that despite the backlog in work, Mr. Ebbin had told workers there would be no overtime today, as usual.

"We have been told there is no overtime tomorrow," he added. "He is trying to teach us a lesson."

Last night, The Royal Gazette was unable to reach Mr. Ebbin or Minister of Works and Engineering Alex Scott, who is responsible for overseeing the site.

But vice-president of the Bermuda Industrial Union Chris Furbert confirmed that about 60 of the 80 Pro-Active workers on the site had downed tools yesterday.

"They did have a short work stoppage this afternoon and it was based on the workers being a little bit upset because they were promised some back pay and they did not get it," said the deputy union leader.

"Apparently, there was some misunderstanding. Management admitted to making the error and, as a result, it was sorted out pretty quickly and the men went back to work.

"As far as I know, the management said they were going to pay it next week. We have no reason to disbelieve it."