Nurses are to go public and protest today at the House of Assembly over what they see as a lack of respect for their work by the Bermuda Hospitals Board.

The move comes after talks between their union, the Bermuda Public Services Association and the BHB which resulted in a recruitment and retention plan.

The plan was rejected by the BPSA on Wednesday and the protest march is designed to bring the problem to the public's attention.

BPSA general secretary Ed Ball last night told The Royal Gazette : "We will be making a full statement tomorrow.

"But my quick response is that the nurses feel that, just like nurses all over the world, they are undervalued and not respected,'' he explained.

Mr. Ball added the profession is both honourable, vital and Bermuda, like other countries, will have to address the problem.

"Yes, the BPSA worked with the BHB to allay this problem,'' he concluded, "but this issue has to go to the community, who may need to dig deep if we are to keep and retain nurses.'' In a faxed press release, the BHB claims the public march to Sessions House follows the "successful conclusion'' of negotiations in May and affirms the BHB's recognition of the "major contribution'' of nurses in health care.

A plan to "review all employees' salary scales to ensure that we remain competitive and attract more Bermudians'' was presented to the BPSA but rejected, as were "significant salary adjustments.

"The BPSA raised some issues unrelated to the salary adjustment, some of which have been successfully resolved, some remain in discussion, while others have not yet been tabled for consideration during the monthly Joint Consultative Committee meetings.

"The Board, however, remains very receptive to resolving all outstanding issues,'' the press release concluded. "The BHB wishes to assure the community that patient care will not be compromised in any way as a result of this public march.'' Nurses will assemble at the BPSA headquarters on Cedar Avenue for a 12 noon departure time southward on Cedar Avenue.

They will continue westward on Victoria Street to Wesley Street and then eastward on Church Street and from there to the Sessions House grounds.

There they will present a letter outlining their concerns to Health Minister Nelson Bascome.