Government has revealed that both parties could be forced to pay for reaching an agreement in the future.

Labour Minister Maxwell Burgess yesterday said he was going to look at the possibility of the Bermuda Industrial Union and the Hotel Employers of Bermuda paying for arbitration to reach a collective bargaining deal.

"Every three years the people of Bermuda are asked to foot the bill because both parties have not reached agreement,'' he said. "I will be looking at this.

"Other countries have both parties pick up the cost and it is something we are looking at.'' Mr. Burgess said he had written to both parties this week, informing them he was sending the matter to binding arbitration.

Initially the letter was held for 24 hours in the hope that the two sides could reach a last-ditch deal, but after talks again broke down, the instructions were sent.

But he added that he had encouraged them to continue to work together to see if an agreement could be reached.

And the Minister said he was sure an agreement could be reached at arbitration to allow workers to benefit for years to come.