Bermuda Industrial Union has backed controversial pay hikes for politicians. President Chris Furbert said Alex Scott deserved a salary increase of 80 per cent, taking the Premier?s annual wage to $200,000.

The proposed increases have already triggered warnings from the Bermuda Employers Council and the Bermuda Public Service Union, amid concerns about the impact on future wage negotiations and the strain on pensions.

Asked how rank and file BIU members would respond to the blue collar union backing a resolution that would give senior politicians inflation-busting raises, Mr. Furbert said the Premier?s salary should be compared to the salaries of company bosses ? not the pay packets of ordinary workers.

He added: ?I believe that salaries for the Premier and Ministers of the Government should be compared to the salaries of CEOs who are members of the Bermuda Employers Council, not the ordinary worker in Bermuda because of the extent of the responsibility the Premier and Ministers have.?

The BIU president said that under the bargaining agreement struck between Government and the BIU, a senior pilots? salary was ?just a few thousand dollars less? than the Premier?s existing salary.

?While I believe without a doubt the job of a senior pilot comes with much responsibility, it certainly could not be compared to that of the Premier or any of our Cabinet Ministers,? Mr. Furbert told reporters yesterday.

?The BIU believes that with the positions of Premier, Cabinet Ministers and, indeed, MPs comes grave responsibility ? not only locally but globally. These positions should be respected by all in the community.?

After outlining his reasons for supporting the resolution in principal, he stated that ? if passed ? rises should be phased in over the next two years. It appears that Government wants to introduce them in one go and backdate them to April. Mr. Furbert denied he was toeing the PLP party line on the pay issue. And he said he wanted to give a different view on the issue, as some members of the public were angered by what they considered to be hefty salary rises ?Government is giving itself?.

The union leader said that the salaries review board that drew up the increases, a panel led by former Postmaster General Clevelyn Crichlow, consisted of highly professional members with ?vast experience? in both public and private sector work.

?Are those who are criticising the recommendations of this board suggesting that these men and women could be unduly influenced by the Premier?

?Clearly, if members of the public had read the report...they would see that this group of professionals had looked at salaries of members of the legislature in other countries, large and small, examined the increase in the cost of living since the last pay adjustment and completed all other research before coming to their conclusion.?

He added that the proposed benchmark for politicians? salaries was a recommendation from this review board, ?not by the PLP Government as many people have stated and many others believe?.

Asked whether the BIU support for the resolution could trigger large pay requests from its members, Mr. Furbert said that may cause ?challenges? in future.

But he said pay requests must be treated on merit ? and take into account increased responsibility. ?We will continue to ask for what?s fair and right.?

Shifting focus to Alex Scott?s pay rise, he added: ?The Premier of this country should be the most highly paid civil servant. He?s in the middle at the moment.?

He said this could not be justified and added: ?It has to be unfair.?

He said Mr. Scott was Bermuda?s ?commander-in-chief? and said his salary should be more than $72,000 ? the current wage level for the Premier. Mr. Scott gets an extra $39,000 for being an MP. ?That?s not the right salary. It?s the wrong one from day one.?

On the impact on pensions, Mr. Furbert said he hoped Finance Minster Paula Cox was looking at the issue. But he questioned the effect politicians could have on the pension pot.

?Nobody can convince me that 36 people are going to put that much strain on this country?s pension fund,? he told reporters.

Quizzed on the impact of the proposed rises not being staggered, as he suggested, Mr. Furbert said he believes that Government was listening to the public, if something reasonable was put on the table. ?I do not see them saying we want it all in one time.?

Former Government Senator Calvin Smith also praised the review board, singling out the professional achievements of every member. The BIU research officer said criticism of the pay hikes was criticism of the ?very able, honest and professional? board.

Uncertainty still surrounds the role the Senate will play in deciding the fate of the pay resolution. Amid speculation Senators would reject the move, Attorney General Larry Mussenden postponed a debate on the issue on Wednesday. The issue was carried over the previous week.