MORE Government workers are facing the axe following a decision by the Ministry of Health to outsource a number of administrative posts to an overseas company.

And yesterday's revelation has prompted furious union chiefs to blast Government for sidestepping employment procedures, claiming that under the current "regime" workers' rights are being "pushed out the door".

Around 15 temporary clerical staff employed to process Hospital Insurance Payments were told last week that they will be laid off in the coming months ¿ after they have trained up a team from US-based company Apollo to take over their positions. The move follows news last week that a US firm is to take over the running of the Ministry of Tourism's New York office, with up to 30 Bermudian staff facing an uncertain future as a result.

According to one health administrator set to lose their job, staff were first told of the possibility of outsourcing their positions last year. They heard nothing else until last Thursday, when they were told that their jobs would be cut.

Yesterday, the distraught worker told the Mid-Ocean News that the team had helped slash a massive backlog in insurance claims by half in the past year.

But last Thursday the department's assistant director, Collin Anderson, (pictured) announced to staff that their jobs would be chopped ¿ once they had trained up their US replacements. Workers were also advised that, as Government employees, they were under contract not to discuss the issue with the media.

Staff met with representatives of the Bermuda Public Services Union on Wednesday and claim they will now fight the redundancies.

"This is a real slap in the face to the people of this country," the clerk, who asked not to be named, said.

"Just a few weeks ago we had a march on Parliament over workers' rights and yet Government continues to outsource jobs to foreign companies.

"What with TCD being outsourced and Tourism, you now have maybe 100 people who are no longer working and no longer making contributions or paying into the Government pension. Government is promising us all these free things such as free buses and a free ferry service, they've broken ground on a new health facility at Southside, and yet all these things cost money. Where is the money going to come from when your outsourcing work to non-Bermudian firms who will not be making contributions?"

The source added that staff may be kept on for a further 18 months in order to train the new company to operate the department.

"It's completely ridiculous," the source said.

"Collin Anderson said he would do everything to protect our jobs and the next thing we know, we're being told that we face the sack.

"Furthermore, the union has never been properly informed about this. Once again it's a done deal and we're only told about it after everything has been arranged. Health Minister Nelson Bascome is meant to be a part of a labour government yet I am sickened by what this labour government is doing."

At a press conference yesterday, the Bermuda Public Services Union confirmed that it had met with the administrators and was preparing to fight for their jobs.

Speaking of the recent spate of outsourcing in a number of Government Ministries, BPSU general secretary Ed Ball, Jr. said: "The Premier once said that it is a government's responsibility to feel the pulse of its people. We are those very same people who they are attempting to displace.

"We ask all fellow Bermudians to join with us in this fight to save our jobs as your true and dedicated ambassadors for Bermuda."