No disciplinary action has been taken against unionised airport staff who walked off their jobs during the Island-wide strike call, management confirmed yesterday.

Some 100 hotel employees, who heeded the strike call, last week received a letter from hotel chiefs telling them they would not receive pay for the time they took off. And they were warned they could be fired for similar walk-outs in the future.

But Mr. Richard Krupp, general manager of finance and administration at Bermuda Aviation Services/Aircraft Services Bermuda where some 30 unionised employees refused to handle cargo related to Bermuda Forwarders and later walked off the job, said no such letter was sent to the employees.

Striking airport workers were given an ultimatum to return to work by June 27 or lose their jobs.

"We indicated to our staff that if they came back to work by the Saturday, no disciplinary action would be taken,'' Mr. Krupp said, "and all our employees came back.'' Stevedoring Services managing director Mr. Michael Lohan refused to comment on what disciplinary action, if any, management had taken against the majority of unionised port workers who stayed away from their jobs at Hamilton docks.

The letter to hotel employees, dated July 8, stated: "Legal counsel has advised that your absence from work during the dispute between the Bermuda Industrial Union and Bermuda Forwarders in consequence of the Bermuda Industrial Union's unlawful strike call, constituted a repudiation of your contract of employment, and could, if we so chose, be treated as the termination of your employment with us.'' Sanctions taken against hotel employees who downed tools are then listed.

These include: no pay for time off work; forfeiture of claim for lay-off compensation; and updating of personnel files with the letter.

The letter concluded: "Please be advised that in the event of any similar occurrence in the future, we will take into account the fact that it will have occurred with full knowledge of the potential consequences.''