The head of the Hotels Employers of Bermuda yesterday appealed to unionised hotel workers and shop stewards to "exercise good judgment'' in the ongoing hotel tips row.

Mr. John Harvey was responding to news that all shop stewards have been called to an emergency meeting today at Bermuda Industrial Union headquarters.

At the meeting, which was scheduled to begin 2 p.m., shop stewards will map out a plan to carry out whatever action hotel members decide to take to force employers to give them 1992 tip increases.

Workers, at a meeting on Tuesday, suggested sit-ins, sick-outs, or even a strike.

They will meet again next Tuesday to make a final decision.

BIU president Mr. Ottiwell Simmons said workers who attended last Tuesday's meeting "determined that the hotels should be just and moral and pay their workers without workers having to take action'' "If they don't do that,'' he said, "they (workers) listed a number of actions they could take.'' But Mr. Harvey yesterday accused the union of not being "forthright in sharing the facts with the membership of the hotel division'' about gratuity/service charge issue.

"During the Haughton inquiry, it is a matter of record, that the union stated to the (Essential Industries Disputes Settlement) Board that in 1992 the union expected `zilch, nothing'' for increased gratuities,'' he said. "The union is acutely aware that the gratuities have never been paid retroactively.

"And, indeed, their submission to the Board to have those hotels, who added an extra service charge above the mandatory gratuity charges, pay those monies to the employees was unanimously denied by the Board in January, 1993.'' Mr. Harvey added that the union's "continuous attempt to mislead the hotel division'' on the tips issue was put to rest when the Haughton board last month ruled "again'' that their request was "again denied''.

"I appeal to shop stewards and all of the hotel division to exercise good judgment in their deliberations on this subject,'' he said.

"They should insist that the union share with them the Haughton board's ruling on this subject.

"Threats of industrial action to coerce the Hotel Employers of Bermuda is not productive and only damages Bermuda's tourism industry.''