The leader of Bermuda’s white collar union the BPSU has stood down.

Kevin Grant — union president for three years — decided not to seek re-election and has been replaced by BPSU first vice-president Jason Hayward.

In his last address to members, Mr Grant said: “The past three years have seen this organisation take on challenges that we have never seen before. A contracting economy for the last three years with a forecast for this to continue is a challenge within itself.

“The many proposed austerity initiatives that will have an impact job security, pensions and healthcare are a major threat to not only workers’ rights and benefits, but also the very existence of organised labour.”

And he called for union members to unite in the face of proposals to hive off public sector jobs to the private sector.

Mr Hayward — who is an assistant statistician with Government — said he planned to oppose any cuts to jobs, services, pay and working conditions for BPSU members.

And he pledged to “oppose both the cuts and government policies which unilaterally impose the transfer of public services to private bodies.”

Mr Hayward also promised to tackle ballooning health insurance costs by looking at alternatives and examine pension plan policies to find ways to head off the looming pensions deficit.