Bermuda Employers? Council president Eddie Saints yesterday told a cross-section of business leaders that labour unrest and disharmony would continue unless honest intentions to resolve differences were adopted by all ? including union leaders.

Mr. Saints, speaking at the BEC?s annual general meeting, addressed the issue after the Island was faced with a general strike by Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU) workers ? in response to a labour dispute at CableVision that saw an employee sacked ? less than a fortnight after Bermuda was battered on September 5 by Hurricane Fabian.

Yesterday Mr. Saints said that various bodies had been meeting throughout the year in partnership to share in the challenges that all organisations face.

He said: ?The essential means of achieving this is through the Labour Advisory Council where representatives of each of the three stakeholders (employers, Government and trade unions) meet to discuss matters affecting each other with the intention of working together for the betterment of Bermuda at large.

?While there have been several meeting of the LAC throughout this past year, I believe we are still yet to derive the full value and benefits that can be accrued from these meetings.?

Mr. Saints continued: ?Regrettably there is still much work to be done, and some attitudes requiring change among certain sectors of employers and unions before we can expect to achieve our maximum potential. One just has to reflect on the recent CableVision and BIU dispute that lead to the finest example of how employer/union relations should not work. Disrespect for one another, disrespect for the law and due process has no place in today?s world.?

Although praising Randy Horton, as Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety, for his leadership, along with Premier Alex Scott during the strike, Mr. Saints said the solution had to come from all parties.

?Until we come together with honest intentions to resolve differences and to contribute to positive change in matter that affect labour relations and employment practices, we will continue to experience labour unrest and disharmony in the workplace.

?I commend Minister Horton for his unwavering patience and leadership throughout this ordeal and the Premier?s stance against unruly union practice stating unions will not rule our country. However I want to be clear that the actions, stance and tactics of the BIU resembling 1960s unionism is not characteristic of the many other unions the serve the best interest of employees today.

?The Bermuda Public Services Union and the Trade Union Congress and others strive to balance the needs of its membership with the realities of business today. The healthy and, yes, sometimes challenging relationship we encounter with one another is tempered by the recognition that we are in this together and together we will get through it,? he concluded.