Negotiations have resumed to resolve the nurses' dispute over pay and conditions, The Royal Gazette has learned.

The new chairwoman of the Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) Ianthia Simmons-Wade said she was in talks with union chiefs on Wednesday.

In mid-December hundreds of disgruntled nurses marched through the streets of Hamilton before descending on Parliament in a protest for more respect.

The asked that the BHB increase their salaries and bring them into line with the pay scales of other countries, and for all ranks to be treated fairly.

The claimed top-rank `allied staff', such as x-ray technicians, were paid just a dollar or two less than nurses, who carried more responsibility and had undergone substantially more training.

There were some talks aimed at resolving the dispute on the run up to Christmas, with Health Minister Nelson Bascome saying he hoped the two could resolve their problems some time in January.

But it was not until Wednesday that the two sides resumed talks.

Mrs. Simmons-Wade, who took over as chairwoman of health board on January 4, said the parties were due to meet again next week.

"There is nothing new to report at the moment, but we are in discussions trying to come to some mutual agreement.'' The Bermuda Public Services Association has been working on the nurses' behalf to improve their pay and conditions package.

General Secretary Ed Ball said historically it was difficult for nurses to have great bargaining powers because everyone knew they would never strike or withdraw their services.

Therefore, he said, there was a temptation for health officials to take advantage of them.

Last night he said he was eagerly awaiting a response from the BHB.

He said: "We went to the new chairwoman and basically presented the same scenario that we presented at the end of last year, including nurses being over-worked, and the world shortage.

"So we are simply waiting for the board to come back to us now. It is going to be interesting because we are now in a situation where budgets are being prepared, and I don't think Government had budgeted for anything like this.

"What I would say though, is that if Bermuda is not careful we are going to end up in the same position as other countries who are in desperate need of staff.

"In Ghana, European countries have gone in and lured a huge percentage of their nurses away. They have a big shortage and we don't want that to happen here.'' Mr. Ball earlier told The Royal Gazette that the nurses had had an annual bonus withdrawn after nine years of receiving it and were unhappy with conditions.

But he said the final straw came at the last salary review, which left nurses very unhappy.

He said: "The bonus was something that had already been negotiated in 1991 that has been taken away without discussion. And the salary review was non-negotiable.

"The BPSA has always fought, however, the union is only as effective as its members. They don't have the same power.'' But he said the protest march in December had brought to the attention of Government the nurses' plight.

Nurses warn BHB: `Don't take us for granted' He added: "There is an acute shortage of nurses everywhere, but other countries are trying to tackle it, as well as making sure they keep staff.

Bermuda must begin to recognise what is happening and fall in line.'' And male nurse Tim Bishop said: "It's not just about money -- it is more about the conditions. We are a caring profession, but we are not treated with respect.

"I think people know we will not strike or leave sick people in their beds, so we are taken for granted.

"Other unions tend to get better deals because their members can be more militant.'' Mr. Bascome was off the Island last night.