Opposition MP Cole Simons has called for tougher legislation to ban strike action in essential service industries.

And he also took a swipe at Government for failing to get its priorities right by not tackling the issue straight away.

Mr. Simons made his remarks after The Royal Gazette revealed that staff at the Department of Works and Engineering, including trash collectors, had threatened to take strike action unless various disputes are resolved within the next two weeks.

The threat came just days after dock workers walked off the job in support of a suspended colleague.

"There should be zero tolerance when it comes to labour unrest in our essential services,'' Mr. Simons said.

"The PLP Government, irrespective of their past affiliations and philosophical biases, must underscore this important tenant.

"If the PLP Government is as hard on crime as they claim to be then I expect that the so called sensitive people's Government would let our people know that, as managers, they will not tolerate any behaviour that will threaten Bermuda' social and economic livelihood.

"Surely the Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety and our new Attorney General should be the first to tell the people of this country, and all sides in a dispute, that their Government will not tolerate, nor accept, any threatening behaviour which affects our essential service industries. If the labour dispute resolution was a real priority for this Government then they would have addressed it with the speed, energy and vigour that they approached the recent amendment to the Motor Car Act, the appointment of the new AG and the new Government cars that they now enjoy. Again, one really questions this Government's priorities. Is driving someone else's car, amending the Parliamentary Registration Act and picking up trash twice a week more important than the resolution of threatening behaviour to two of Bermuda's essential industries? "I know that labour crises are very difficult for the PLP Government to manage. They are, as everyone knows, a labour Government and as such have socialist leanings. Their loyalties have been obvious for decades but now they have great difficulty making the paradigm shift required for effective governance -- a shift that will enable them to do what is best for our country and not just our labour brothers and sisters.

"Are they getting caught in their own web? Have the birds come home to roost? "The leaders of this country must make a commitment to the people of this country.'' Mr. Simons also launched a personal attack on Government backbencher and Bermuda Industrial Union leader Derrick Burgess, suggesting that he had a conflict of interest in holding down both positions. "What about Mr. Burgess, the Member of Parliament and the union leader?'' he said.

Last night Mr. Burgess hit back, denying that there was any conflict of interest.

"You just have to look at the name of our party -- I represent labour and a labour party should have labour in it,'' he said.

The problem with the UBP is they don't know their history. Mr. Simons should ask himself if there was a conflict of interest when David Gibbons was Premier and also chairman of the bank and chairman of many other institutions that the Government did business with.

"As for zero tolerance, I don't agree with it because there are always exceptions.

"Also you have to have a level playing field and all workers should have equal rights.'' Cole Simons UNIONS UNS