Crunch talks are expected today at the Bermuda Industrial Union as a labour dispute at the hardware and construction supplier SAL Southampton dragged on for a third day.

Wornell Steede, chief union shop steward at SAL, said yesterday that management at the West End business, which also houses a concrete production plant, “continues to lock the gates every morning”.

Staff at the company walked off the job on Monday over what Mr Steede said last night was the threatened dismissal of a garage supervisor.

“Right now we’re standing strong together as a unit,” he said. “SAL has always been family. We work hard. If you look at the attendance record, there’s no sick time. Nine out of ten of these guys are here every day.

“We feel the company has turned its back on the people that built the company. Tomorrow we are going to the BIU.”

Locks on the SAL gates were said to be changed on Tuesday in the wake of a walkout by 15 Southampton staff over the fate of the staff member, whom Mr Steede declined to name.

Chris Furbert, the president of the BIU, said the union had not been in talks with management over the issue.

He said the BIU had referred the issue to the Labour Relations Department and was awaiting a response.

Vance Campbell, chief executive at SAL, could not be reached for comment last night.