be laid off on November 16 -- two weeks ahead of the hotel's other employees.

Sonesta closes at the end of the month for major renovations, which are expected to take 16 weeks to complete.

An anonymous caller who first reported the story to The Royal Gazette , claimed hotel management was "trying to get rid of'' the laundry room workers because of a long-standing dispute over working on Sundays. "Government shouldn't let this happen to Bermudians,'' the caller said.

Sonesta's managing director Mr. David Boyd said the claim was absurd. He said the workers were being laid off early because of preparatory work for the modernisation of the boiler room, which is located above the laundry.

Throughout 1991 unionised laundry workers at Sonesta refused to show up for work on Sundays despite being scheduled to do so.

Six staff were suspended in February this year for failing to report for work on a Sunday, and were threatened with dismissal before it was agreed to refer the issue to the Essential Industries Disputes Board. A ruling is still pending.

"They're fine staff and they work hard,'' said Mr. Boyd. He insisted there was no animosity about the "differences of opinion'' over Sunday shifts.

He also said the "vast majority'' of Sonesta's staff return after closures such as this one, and he expects the laundry staff will as well.

He said adjustments to the boiler room's floor were necessary before the bulk of the work was done. This included disconnecting the power source to the laundry room.

Rather than delay the re-opening of the hotel next spring, laundry operations will be stopped early.

After November 16, the hotel's laundry will be "farmed out'' to Mermaid Beach Club. Mr. Boyd said management was trying to make arrangements to have at least some of the Sonesta employees do the laundry at Mermaid, although no definite agreements have been made.

The person who called in the story said laundry staff were not receiving any compensation or assistance to make up for the two extra weeks of pay they had been expecting.

"People aren't prepared for that,'' the caller said. "It's the pits.'' But Mr. Boyd said the hotel felt "an obligation to try and make the winter as easy as possible'' for their employees, and would continue to pay workers' health coverage, and help as much as possible in finding employment for the winter.