recognition at the sites of their new offices were yesterday steering clear of the controversy.

The new ACE and XL Capital headquarters on the site of the old Bermudiana Hotel became the focus of industrial disruption on Tuesday.

The row at the ACE site -- governed by a separate contract from the XL Capital development -- led to a day of action on Tuesday.

Hundreds of Bermuda Industrial Union workers met at the union HQ and then marched on the Precision-Somers building contract.

A spokeswoman for ACE said: "It's really a dispute between the Bermuda Industrial Union and the Precision-Somers Joint Venture and we regret that.

"It seems to have escalated, but we hope that the two sides do resolve their dispute.'' The spokeswoman added: "Nobody in Bermuda, none of the workers, wants to see this being drawn out. That's about as far as we can go at the moment.'' XL Capital insiders were keen to stress that the dispute does not involve the site of their new HQ -- and the firm distanced themselves from the controversy.

A spokesman for the firm yesterday declined to comment on the industrial action which brought work on the ACE site to a halt.

The dispute began last Thursday after workers at the site -- joined by employees of four other companies the next day -- picketed the site following the sacking of several workers.

The employees were booted out only days after submitting a letter asking for union recognition.

The men were told they had been fired for leaving the job early -- in the middle of a huge concrete pour, which was ruined.

But the BIU insisted the sacked eight had been given permission days before to attend a union meeting.

Now Labour and Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox has called a Trade Disputes Tribunal and invited the BIU and the firm to get round the table in a bid to hammer out a solution.