Union leader and Government backbencher Derrick Burgess claims globalisation has led to a poor deal for the common worker -- and said staff should withdraw labour if that's what it takes.

He said he was seeing more employers contravening international conventions and turning to union-busting.

He said a number of people were now afraid to contact their union for fear they would lose benefits, or even their jobs.

And he said, particularly in the construction industry, more and more firms were contravening international conventions that protect employee rights: "Globalisation has made everyone more competitive and has resulted in many changes, including the way workers do their work. My fear is the changes have not been in the best interests of the workers.

"I appeal to Bermudians in the construction industry to capitalise on the health of the industry and stand up and fight.

"If they have to withdraw their labour, then withdraw their labour, in order to get all the benefits afforded to them.'' And he said he strongly believed in words spoken by Nelson Mandela that if a man fights back he is likely to get more respect than if he had capitulated.

It was time for workers to fight back, he said, but Mr. Burgess said many workers were fearful of fighting back and even scared to talk to their union representative.

He added: "We are seeing this happen more and more, particularly in the construction industry. People are not getting the holiday entitlement they should get or the benefits they are entitled to. "This is happening in the white collar industries, too -- to the point where one employer will not even sit down and discuss anything with the union.'' Mr. Burgess said he was worried "the bad employers would squeeze out the good''.

He added: "We have good employers who accept unions and collective bargaining, but they are angry because they are finding themselves competing against those who do the complete opposite.

"They feel unable to compete with companies that do not pay the same benefits and rates.'' Last month, Mr. Burgess said Government should disregard companies who submitted bids for public contracts if they contravened international conventions.

However, Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott said Government could not demand that all firms were unionised and therefore could not discard any bidder. All had to be treated fairly, he said.

During the last 12 months, there have only been a handful of work disputes around the Island.

Last summer, some firefighters at Bermuda International Airport were in dispute with their employers Serco Aviation Services after they claimed the rotations had been changed without their agreement.

At the end of last year, scores of nurses marched through the streets of Hamilton in protest of poor pay increases and changes to bonuses and benefits.

Last night, Labour and Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox was not available for comment, and neither was General Secretary of the Bermuda Public Services Association Ed Ball.

Burgess urges workers to stand up for their rights But Shadow Labour Minister Michael Dunkley, who is also an employer as head of Dunkley's Dairy, said he was not in favour of strike action.

He said: "I think what Mr. Burgess needs to realise is that as the world changes, Bermuda changes, too.

"I have never been one to support the withdrawal of labour unless it's a last resort. As an employer myself, I know that it takes two to make things successful -- both the worker and the employer.

"We live in such a competitive society, the two must work and communicate together all the time to keep the business successful.

"If we are going to stay competitive we can't take the approach `well let's just withdraw labour'.''