Bermuda Industrial Union president Chris Furbert sounded a clear warning today that no unionised bartenders would do the work performed by bar porters made redundant at Fairmont Hamilton Princess.

At a press conference held at union headquarters this afternoon, Mr Furbert stated that just days after ten job terminations, unionised workers were left wondering who would pick up the slack on Superbowl Sunday on February 2.

Flanked by five employees who lost their jobs, Mr Furbert said that there was no consultation or discussion as set out in the hotel’s collective bargaining agreement.

He confirmed that the hotel’s general manager had contacted him last Wednesday evening to inform the union that there were go to be some redundancies on Friday, January 24.

“I was a bit perturbed, irritated to say the least,” said Mr Furbert, who contacted Executive Director of the Bermuda Hotel Association, John Harvey, the following day.

“We had some more dialogue with the general manager on Friday. I advised him to put the redundancies on hold so we could sit down and have a conversation because the workers affected, we want to know who’s going to do their work now that they’ve been made redundant. Their jobs have still got to be performed by someone,” he said.

“People’s lives were put in an unstable condition last Friday because they were told that their jobs no longer exist. And it’s ten jobs that’s being affected — five of them are BIU jobs, three bar porters, two in-room dining captains and as a result of that, what you see flanked on my left and right are members of the bar department.”

Following a meeting with them, he said: “It’s expected that the bartenders now are going to be doing the bar porters work. This decision has been made without any consultation whatsoever with the bartenders.

“How do you do this sort of thing in 2014 knowing full well that you want some people to pick up additional responsibilities and not even have a conversation with them on what needs to happen?”

Mr Furbert said the union had also met with Home Affairs Minister Michael Fahy yesterday who raised the question after the hotel contacted him that “ten more Bermudians were being put out of work at a time when people are trying to find employment”.

Staff members, who asked not to be named, said morale at the hotel was low with mounting anxiety on the part of some who are concerned about job security.

One worker said: “You never know who’s next and the rumours are spreading that there may be more job losses to come.

“The general feeling around here is that we all need to watch out.”

Meanwhile, it’s been announced that hotel General Manager Len Czarnecki will be transferred to another Fairmont property as of February 7. The hotel said a search for his replacement had begun.

Commenting on Mr Czarnecki’s departure, a hotel spokesman said: “Over the past three years, Len has provided strong leadership to the Fairmont Hamilton Princess, managing the change of ownership at the hotel and subsequently working with the owners on the $70 million redevelopment of the property.

“From hotel openings to renovations and repositioning, Len brings a valuable skill set to FRHI and will be staying with the company in his next role. We thank Len for his leadership and wish him much success in the next chapter in his career.

“A global search is underway for a new general manager. In the interim, George Terpilowski, Managing Director of Fairmont Bermuda will assume responsibility for the operation of the hotel.”

Mr Czarnecki said: “Over the past three years I have enjoyed working with The Fairmont Hamilton Princess and its team of dedicated colleagues. My family and I have enjoyed living in Bermuda, and although I am excited about my new position with Fairmont, as always, this type of move is bittersweet.”