Despite encouragement for cooperation between Government, unions and business from Government and Opposition speakers, Bermuda Industrial Union President Derrick Burgess reminded the crowd at Bernard Park's Labour Day rally, that the union has outstanding disputes.

First on his list of gripes with Government was the soon to be tabled amendments to labour laws promised by Labour Minister Quinton Edness.

"We were told back in March we would have new laws for all workers, and here it is, September and the Minister has said he wants to exclude certain types of workers from the new laws.'' Mr. Burgess went on to point out that the BIU will start negotiations for a new hotel workers contract in December.

"But we still do not have the small properties signing the agreement. One of those hotels is managed by a board of directors which includes the Minister of Education,'' said Mr. Burgess in reference to Stonington Hotel which is owned by Government and connected with the Bermuda College's Hotel Training Department.

"The Minister of Tourism has close links with another hotel which has not signed,'' he said alluding to Tourism Minister David Dodwell's position as Managing Director of The Reefs.

"If Government will not abide by the law, how do they expect us to do so?'' Mr. Burgess went on to take Government to task over recruiting policies for the Police Force, the Environment Minister's decision to revoke the licences of two fishermen who pleaded guilty and were fined by a magistrate for using illegal fishpots, the Bermuda Union of Teachers ongoing dispute with the Ministry of Education and a number of other issues.

"The Government has let labour down. Don't let them let us down any more,'' Mr. Burgess said.

Meanwhile, Labour Minister Quinton Edness took issue with the BIU leader laying blame for delays in introducing amendments to labour legislation at the feet of Government.

"He's lying about that,'' Mr. Edness said yesterday. According to the Labour Minister, delays in the introducing legislation for workplace union ballots were largely due to the unavailability of union bosses for consultation meetings.

He said that both unions and management had asked for wide consultation over the summer before an amendment to the labour laws went to the House of Assembly -- an appeal he had backed.

But Mr. Edness added that Bermuda Industrial Union president Mr. Burgess' attendance at international conferences in Switzerland and the Caribbean had slowed down the process.

And he said: "Government and management people attended the International Labour Organisation conference in Geneva for a week to 10 days.

"Union leaders stayed for a month and that caused a postponement for the bill.'' He added other delays were caused by a West Indies conference -- and that it was only last Wednesday that the BIU had finally concluded its submission, clearing the way for Mr. Edness to hear management's views.

Mr. Edness said: "For Mr. Burgess to say it's the fault of Government that a bill was not introduced into Parliament is a gross falsehood designed to mislead the public.

"Most of the delay was caused, quite frankly, because of Mr. Burgess having to go to various conferences in different parts of the world. I think the delays were all legitimate delays, but we all resolved we would consult before laying the bill before Parliament.

"And it's not the fault of Government it was not laid down in the time the previous Premier David Saul said.

"I'm surprised he misled the audience in Barnard Park and indeed the people of Bermuda in such a way.''