A task force set up to secure better-paid jobs for Bermudians will put key recommendations to Government within the next two months.

The news came as a new report revealed a growth in the earnings gap between Bermudians and non Bermudians.

The Labour Market Indicators (LMI) survey also showed that the working week has got longer, the workforce has aged, and women still do not pack the same earning power as men.

Overall, the report showed the median annual gross earnings ? the mid-point of those surveyed before commissions and bonuses ? rose from $46,772 in 2004 to $48,183 in 2005.

However the contrast between Bermudians and non-Bermudians was marked.

While the figure for Bermudians was $45,559 last year, the mid-range earning power of non-Bermudians stood at $58,315 ? almost 22 percent more. In addition, the figures showed the gap had widened since 2004, when non-Bermudians earned just under 20 percent more than Bermudians.

The report, which is based on the annual employment surveys conducted by Government between 2003 and 2004, notes: ?The decision to provide indicators on the basis of Bermudian status reflects the increasing trend by employers of recruiting non-Bermudians to fill skilled and non-skilled positions.?

It also compared the earning power of men and women, with a gender divide becoming apparent.

Women worked an average working week of 30.1 hours ? six less than men ? last year and their mid-point salaries were $4,283 per year less than their male counterparts.

Government launched its Workforce Development Task Force in March, in partnership with organisations such as the Ace Foundation, to provide better opportunities for Bermudians to fill jobs currently held by expatriates and address other disparities in the workplace.

Four committees have been working on the areas of education, employment transition and work preparation, training, and industry and commerce.

Deputy Chairman Ralph Richardson, Executive Director of the Ace Foundation, said: ?Each of these groups are going to make recommendations to the Task Force and the Task Force will present them within the next month or two to Government.

?It has been given a strong commitment by the previous and current Ministers of Labour that they will take this seriously.?

Ed Ball Jr., General Secretary of the Bermuda Public Services Union which represents nurses, civil servants and administration and clerical staff among others, said if bonuses, commissions and relocation fees paid to foreign workers had been taken into account in the LMI report, the gap between the earning power of Bermudians and non-Bermudians would be even wider.

?It may cause an issue of perception that expatriates are being treated better for whatever reason than Bermudians,? he said. ?That?s something that has to be borne in mind. These are some of the matters that concern unions.?

He added that such surveys sparked ?that continued discussion of who?s first class and who?s a second-class citizen in the country?.

Mr. Ball also questioned whether the apparent drop in unemployment shown in the survey ? from three percent in 2000 to 2.1 percent in 2004 ? was a true reflection of reality.

He said he would like to see a system where those out of work must sign on to an unemployment register, as the figure at present may reflect those who go to the Labour Department rather than those who do not wish to work.

However, he said although a gender gap is still apparent in the workplace ?women have been closing in on the pay differential for a number of years??.

He added: There has been a more significant gap and it is narrowing. Women are displaying their true worth in the work place.?

Shadow Minister of Race Relations and Economic Empowerment Jamahl Simmons said it was important to get already-qualified Bermudians into higher paying jobs, and train those who are not qualified.

He cited examples of people with master?s degrees driving taxis and working as waitresses because they could not find jobs matching their skill levels.

And he added: ?If you are working in a dead-end job, no matter what you do, you don?t make enough money to progress.

?You can?t make it in Bermuda working for $10 an hour.?