An unusually high number of expatriate workers attended a Bermuda Industrial Union Construction Division meeting last night — with bosses saying it helped foster better relations with locals.

BIU Chief Organiser George Scott said plans were backed to lobby Government to adopt an international convention protecting migrant workers, in the hope it would have a positive effect on Bermudians too.

The divisional construction meetings are held every three months, and last night’s was the first since Mr. Scott hit the headlines over a row with a Canadian guest worker in the construction industry. Curtis Macleod’s work permit was revoked last week after Mr. Scott - who is also a backbench Government MP - complained he disrespected him during a row on a building site.

However, Mr. Scott claimed the controversial issue was not discussed during the meeting, which attracted more than 100 people - around half of them guest workers. This is in contrast to the usual figure of around 30 percent. Rather than talk about Mr. Macleod, Mr. Scott claimed the focus was a positive discussion about lobbying Government to adopt International Labour Organisation Conventions 97 and 143 which protect the rights of migrant workers. The former has already been ratified by 45 countries including Barbados, the Bahamas, Jamaica and the UK. The second has the support of 21 countries including Italy and Norway.

Bermuda has already ratified ILO conventions covering areas including agriculture, health and safety, forced labour, and workman’s compensation. However, it does not yet have numbers 97 and 143 in force to protect guest workers, and Mr. Scott said they were needed because issues such as rates of pay, vacation pay and overtime were causes of concern among Bermudians and expats alike.

He said if expats were protected from not being paid what they are owed — a major problem according to the union — this would have the positive effect of protecting the local wage base from being eroded. “If migrant workers work for low wages and the employer profits from it, the next thing is that employers will try the same with resident workers,” he claimed. Mr. Scott said this very problem was “widespread across the entire industry” when it came to the Bermuda construction sector. He cited as an example people being paid “straight pay” - in other words at the regular rate — even after working the standard 40 hours.

However, he argued, if the relevant conventions of the ILO were adopted, construction bosses would have to abide by them to the benefit of all.

“This was highlighted at the meeting. In order for Bermudians to work with guest workers to protect the wage...we are going to push Government for the convention. The response was very good. Now they (both Bermudians and expats) understand why they need to work together,” he said.

Mr. Scott said the next step is for all other divisions within the BIU to discuss the ILO conventions, which would also impact on guest workers in areas such as hotels and child care. If they vote in favour, then BIU officials will take the matter forward by lobbying Government to adopt them. “We are there to represent all workers. It doesn’t matter if they are from Antarctica or Mars — although we haven’t seen that yet —. we will represent them,” said Mr. Scott.