Bank of Bermuda staff sacked for distributing alleged porn e-mails say their bosses are also guilty of flouting policy and forwarding junk messages.

And they claim the bank has used the e-mail breach as an excuse to get rid of employees without paying redundancy as part of its economy drive.

Two of the 14 staff who were ditched on Monday told The Royal Gazette that the picture of a nude male in three outdoor poses with his back facing the camera was not porn.

They said that far worse e-mails have been circulated in the bank.

But the pair deny sending anything after a warning e-mail was sent to all employees in February from executive Philip Butterfield reminding staff not to send chain letters, sexual oriented material and virus warning messages.

One staff member, who wished to remain anonymous, said she had worked at the bank for years but now suddenly found herself jobless and having to support her young family with another child on the way.

"This means I have no health insurance for my child and no income."

She said few employers will want to employ a pregnant woman only to have them leave again when the child is due.

"I don't know what I will do. You work there for so many years but they just treat you like scum."

She said she had requested information about the naked snap when she was presented with it at her sacking, but the bank was unable to tell her about its origin.

"I got mine maybe in December or the beginning of January."

She admitted she might have sent it on - but not after the February 13 memo.

However since February management have continued to send out nonwork related chain e-mails she alleged. "But not one manager has been fired."

The fired workers are now considering pooling resources to mount a legal challenge after being given just six days' pay.

Another employee told a similar story: "I got the e-mail at the end of last year, right before Christmas. I did sent it on but since February I have not forwarded any e-mail.

"They should have fired us when the e-mail came out. It's a little late."

She said everyone had been on their best behaviour since the February warning. The employee said the purge was more to do with the bank's need to make redundancies.

"This was planned. I think that was the point of them sending that e-mail in February.

"They explained the sacking wasn't due to my performance."

"I was told not to take it personally but how can you not when you know not all your colleagues were picked on but I was picked on?

"If they went by that personnel contract we all signed there would be no employees left.

"I get chain letters sent all the time to ten people and Christian e-mails from my boss.

"Maybe we should have had a written warning. Some notice would have been nice."

Last night a Bank of Bermuda spokesperson said: "Forwarding nonbusiness related e-mails through the bank has serious consequences and employees are made aware of this when they sign the bank's e-mail users agreement and other policy statements.

"It greatly saddens us to have to terminate employment under these circumstances but our policies are set and wherever we discover a misuse of e-mail of this nature we will respond appropriately."

The sacked employees might be able to get help from the Department of Labour and Training.

A spokesman said: "For anyone who has a grievance under the Employment Act our office is available to assist in that regard."