arbitration, a hotel worker claimed last night.

And the veteran hotel worker warned that Government should not accept this and should force the hotels to make a better offer to union representatives.

The news came as further information leaked from behind-door negotiations between the Hotel Employers of Bermuda and the Hotel, Night Club and Restaurant Division of the Bermuda Industrial Union.

The two sides are trying to hammer out a new collective bargaining agreement to replace the previous one which expired in February and have refused to release information unless both sides agreed.

However on Saturday, it was learned that hotel staff might strike if the agreement was finalised soon.

And last night a long-time hotel employee, who declined to be named, revealed: "The hotels have made one of their worst offers ever. It is insulting to all hotel workers. The hotels should be trying to be sincere about looking after their people who are poor anyway.'' He claimed it was a move to get the discussions taken to arbitration. They only recently went into mediation.

"What the hotels are trying to do is force Government to send things to arbitration,'' he said.

"Government should not accept that and should tell them to negotiate a proper wage agreement. The hotels should give a better offer.'' The man said the latest offer from the hotels included a 20 cent increase on the gratuity paid by MAP guests, a 15 cent increase on that paid by BP guests and a ten cent increase on the amount EP guests paid.

And he said: "These amounts mean nothing when they're split between three departments! "That is terrible. The hotels can't have a conscience.'' He pointed out: "On MAP guests, where they are giving a 20 cent increase on grats per guest, there are only about two and a half percent of guests on the MAP plan nowadays.'' Guests on the MAP plan have breakfast and dinner included in their room rate, guests on the BP plan have only breakfast and EP plan guests have no meals included.

Gratuities from these guests are split between members of the housekeeping department, dining room and bell desk.

Workers in these departments depend on gratuities as they make up a major portion of their wages.

"We have more EP guests,'' continued the man. "That is the most popular plan and some 70 percent of our guests are on it because it gives them flexibility of where and when to eat.

"The hotels should be ashamed. They know how poor the people are. Half the workers in the hotels nowadays have to go to social service between November and March.'' And the source echoed earlier strike warnings.

"They better be careful or else the members will say, `lets close down and fight Government and the hotels'.'' But he stressed that the unions were at fault in the matter also.

"I am blaming the unions as well for all of this,'' he continued.

The man noted that five or six months ago BIU president Derrick Burgess had called for an investigation into the Island's eight major hotels when they announced in unaudited statements that they had lost $6.2 million over the previous year.

"Then he goes negotiating this agreement in secret. It's not right. They should never negotiate in secret. There is no justification for it. They should have nothing to hide.

"The members pay their dues and they have got the right to know what is happening.'' TOURISM TOU