Union bosses were unable to explore alternatives to Bermudian redundancies in New York because Government failed to hold formal talks with the Civil Service, union boss Ed Ball said yesterday.

Mr. Ball said Government broke its agreement with the union by not consulting before kicking up to 20 Bermudians out of the tourism office and angering people at home and abroad.

In a reply late yesterday evening Tourism Permanent Secretary Cherie Whitter said a meeting with the union had been held on July 4 at which it was made known that consideration was being given to the possibility of downsizing the New York office.

She claimed that was followed up after Cabinet had agreed the decision.

However, the Bermuda Public Services Union general secretary yesterday likened Premier Ewart Brown's Progressive Labour Party Government to Margaret Thatcher's regime of outsourcing and privatisation in the UK and declared:"It is sad when labour governments also employ these practices."

Staff are said to have been further angered by an e-mail they received from the Premier early last Friday to provide "encouragement" immediately after newspapers hit the streets describing their dismay at being told of their redundancies.

Meanwhile, more than 200 people have signed an on-line petition in opposition to the redundancies and appointment of American firm Sales Focus.

Protesters behind the 'Save Bermudians' Jobs' campaign question how Americans who ironically will be sent to Bermuda for training can sell the Island as effectively as Bermudians with a combined 200 years' experience with the Department of Tourism.

In a statement yesterday, Mr. Ball said:"Unions are in the business of saving jobs and ensuring that collective agreements contain clauses that address procedures for termination and redundancies.

"It is against this backdrop that the Bermuda Public Services Union can state for the record that there have not been any formal talks with the Civil Service pertaining to the outsourcing of the Overseas Tourism Office."

Mr.Ball said the union's collective agreement with Government states the employer's formal proposal regarding contracting out must be in writing to "facilitate meaningful dialogue with the union prior to a Cabinet decision".

He continued:"We recognise the management's right (the Government's) to manage, but the union right is to ensure that all possible job alternatives to redundancies are explored along with job reassignment, training for new positions or to suggest other working methods for the existing methods to carry out the same work before jobs are outsourced.

"In other words, we explore all of the options beside redundancies.

"Since the introduction of privatisation/contracting out/outsourcing in the 1980s by former conservative governments such as the former UKPrime Minister Margaret Thatcher and the former USPresident Ronald Reagan, unions worldwide have networked and supported unions in the plight of job losses. It is sad when labour governments also employ these practices."

The Dr. Brown e-mail was forwarded to The Royal Gazette by Opposition MPPatricia Gordon-Pamplin, who said she received it from staff claiming it showed the Premier was completely out of touch.The e-mail chain shows the Premier sent it at 8.41 a.m. on the day this newspaper and the BermudaSun carried front page stories about workers' anger.

It states:"Hello Team: I felt it was important to reach out to you and provide what I hope is clarity and encouragement.

"When we slashed the budget for Tourism by $5 million earlier this year it was to assist in funding our important social programs, not to create hardship for Bermudians.

"We have proactively identified areas where we can improve the way we do business and these cost-cutting measures will benefit thousands of Bermudians in the short and long term.

"The changes we are making in the North American Tourism operation will not only aid in funding our bold new social programs but will also create new opportunities in Bermuda and in the US for our staff.

"We stand ready to fully assist staff prepared to work with us in finding alternative jobs in the Civil Service or, if they choose, with the newly tapped company leading our sales effort. It is their professionalism that will reflect well on them in the days ahead on both fronts.

"Let me make it perfectly clear. Neither I, nor my government would ever disrupt the lives of Bermudians in this way unless it was in the greater public interest. Your service to Bermuda is not undervalued. In fact, we hope it will continue."

One disgruntled employee who spoke to this newspaper said staff were afraid to speak out to the media because of possible consequences in their job hunts.

Save Bermudians Jobs, on thepetitionsite.com, is set up by a group called Friends of the Bermuda Department of Tourism's North American office and has a target of 10,000 signatures.

One regular visitor to Bermuda from Georgia posted yesterday:"I have always worked with the Bermuda Dept of Tourism ... Donna Douglas has always provided excellent service. She cannot be replaced. Donna is Bermuda. Why would I want information from an outside source? No one knows a place like the people that were born and raised there. No one knows the culture better than someone that has lived there all their lives. Why leave the future of tourism in the hands of strangers?"

Eddi Green, of New York, wrote:"Please don't take Bermuda out of Bermuda Tourism."

Linstrom St. John, of New Jersey, said:"Please leave your workforce in the overseas offices in place so that Bermudians can serve and represent their country ... as it should be. Bermudians for Bermuda."

V. Fubler, Bermuda, wrote: "It's a sad day Bermuda ... a very sad day! We are about to let a labour government destroy the lives of our fellow Bermudians by making their jobs redundant. "

Anonymous NYC, New York, put:"This is the worst idea I've ever heard."

According to a statement from Permanent Secretary Ms Whitter, the Ministry met with the BPSU leadership on July 4 and informed them that "a policy decision would be considered by Cabinet that could result in the downsizing of sales function in the North American Tourism Office. It was agreed the matter would be kept under confidence until Cabinet has rendered its decision."

Subsequently Ms. Whitter wrote to the union to tell them of Cabinet's decision, she added that many of those at the New York office would remain employed there, and the Ministry said "every effort is being made to secure positions within the Civil Service for all Bermudians affected."