claiming they have not received the package they believed they had agreed to.

The Bermuda Hospitals Board is likely to meet with the Bermuda Public Services Association (BPSA) sometime today to discuss where the problems have arisen and why.

The nurses protested through the streets of Hamilton in December of last year following a break-down in talks over pay and conditions.

But in February this year, after weeks of negotiations, a pay deal for all nurses at both King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and St. Brendan's was finally agreed. However, The Royal Gazette learned last night the nurses were unhappy and planning a mass meeting of BPSA members this coming Friday to discuss what action should be taken.

It is believed that the nurses thought they had agreed to a two-scale pay increase from April this year.

However, what has actually happened is that they have received just a one-scale increase this April, with the second pay-scale increase arriving next April. Together, the increases are believed to make for roughly a five percent rise.

Why or how the confusion has arisen, it is not clear. Last night nurses at the hospitals were said to be bitterly disappointed by the pay rise. BPSA General Secretary Ed Ball said he did not know why the nurses had not been paid what they thought they had agreed to, and said he carefully took notes of what both sides had wanted throughout the discussions.

He said: "Naturally, the union has always listened very carefully to what management was saying at the time these packages were offered. We tried to write, by way of note-taking, to what both sides were saying.

"If there is any change in any of the conditions that have been agreed to, then there has to be a buy-in by the membership to a new proposal.

Nurses pay row erupts again "They (the nurses) were presented with one package and agreed to one package, but have been given something else.'' Morale at the hospitals is believed to be so low, the possibility of action could not be ruled out.

Mr. Ball added: "The morale of many workers is not good. We are trying to ensure there is a quick solution to this matter.'' He would not comment on the likely outcome of the meeting on Friday, but unless a solution is found soon, it is understood that some form of action or protest is feasible. Whether strike action is considered remains to be seen.

Last night, chairwoman of the BHB Ianthia Simmons-Wade said she also had no idea how the upset over the agreement had come about.

She said she believed the issue had long been settled.

Yesterday, she would only say that the hospital management hoped to meet with Mr. Ball today at some point, adding: "We were quite taken by surprise that the matter, which we thought was resolved, had come back up again with some concerns from nurses.

"We thought that the matter was very much resolved.

"But I can assure everyone that we are very committed and prepared to talk it over to see if we can re-resolve the issue as soon as possible.''