Slapping employers with a $10,000 fine and a visit to jail if they bring illegal workers to the Island was a topic raised by PLP MP and BIU president Derrick Burgess yesterday in the House of Assembly.

Mr. Burgess said the country could not continue to let employers get away with employing illegal workers without serious fines. Mr. Burgess said employers should also spend some time at Westgate so they understood the ramifications of such an action and the expense to the taxpayer. "This is happening every day, particularly at private residences and at night," said Mr. Burgess. "When the inspectors go on site and find the workers they catch them and deport them which becomes very expensive for the country," he said. He also suggested that guest workers carry with them an ID card that details the name of their employer and the company they work for.

MPs agreed the country could do more to increase employer fines in order to save on the taxpayers' money.

He also suggested a flight service be set up or a "sea plane" could be used to get the illegal workers back to their home country directly and more cheaply.

Mr. Burgess also addressed the issue of overtime pay and stressed the fact that many employers were not paying guest workers who work over 40 hours per week time and a half. "A lot of foreigners come to me and cry on my shoulder and tell me what's going on, they say, 'brother Burgess don't do anything but they need someone to talk to'."

Mr. Burgess said Bermudians couldn't afford to work because there were people from "outside our shores who were willing to work on the weekends without overtime and share crowded living accommodation."

Prior to last year's General Election, then-Labour Minister Terry Lister said abolition of the overtime opt-out clause in the Employment Act 2000 was one of his top priorities. Setting overtime pay for workers goes as far back as 1935 when the International Labour Organisation said workers who put in more than 40 hours a week of work should be paid overtime.

The clause allowed employers and employees to negotiate away the right to premium pay for overtime. At that time Mr. Lister also mentioned amending other areas of the Act.

The Employment Act 2000 provides in law a set of minimum standards for the workers of Bermuda. Under international conventions and recommendations the Government has provided a minimum set of standards under the Act for all workers in Bermuda. Mr. Burgess also touched on issues involving the exploitation of foreign workers by Bermudians getting rich by paying them low wages and offering shared accommodation. "A lot of people are making money off this kind of thing and it's putting strain on our infrastructure," he said.