More than 200 furious union workers last night fired a warning at hotel chiefs: "You must stop your nonsense.'' The warning came after Bermuda Industrial Union members met to discuss five cases of alleged wrongful dismissal at major hotels.

Last week, BIU president Mr. Ottiwell Simmons said his members may strike over the firings.

He lashed out after the Hotel Employers of Bermuda won an injunction to stop Government from forming an arbitration board to deal with the cases dating back to November 1991.

Mr. Simmons stressed courts had awarded injunctions to halt strikes, picketing and boycotts -- but never to prevent the resolution of a dispute.

Workers at last night's two-and-a-half hour meeting at BIU headquarters stopped short of voting for a strike.

The outcome did not seem to satisfy everybody, however.

One unionist emerging from the meeting commented: "Too much talk, not enough do.'' BIU General Secretary Ms Molly Burgess -- who chaired the meeting since Mr.

Simmons was attending an overseas labour conference -- later told The Royal Gazette the mood of the meeting was one of anger.

"The members are very upset and feel the employers are trying to take advantage of them.

"Right now, they are not prepared to take any more nonsense. They are not going to accept it.'' She added: "It was a very good meeting. There was a high turn-out, and some people had to stand.'' Ms Burgess said the HEB had shown a "blatant disregard for the intent and the spirit'' of the labour legislation by taking out the writ.

But workers had decided to adopt a "wait and see'' attitude until a final court decision is made on the writ.

"We want to find out first whether the writ is upheld. Then we will decide what to do,'' said Ms Burgess.

The HEB have fiercely defended their stance.

HEB chief executive officer Mr. John Harvey accused Mr. Simmons of being "woefully unreasonable'' over his strike threat.

It seemed Mr. Simmons was putting pressure on the judicial system to get his own way, he said.

And he believed Mr. Simmons was "preempting'' the court's decision on the writ.

Ms Burgess said that although the injunction dominated last night's meeting it was not the only topic up for debate.

"We discussed several things, and we have asked our membership to support and patronise our enterprises, including the Credit Union, the Co-Op, the gas station, and the taxi service.'' Asked why the appeal was made, she replied: "Because we are being hit from all sides.''