New legal teeth to enforce a voluntary code of conduct for employers will be a priority in the next session of the House of Assembly, Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox vowed yesterday.

Ms Cox said: "They already have a code -- I'm taking it a step further.

"If we're talking about good labour relations, this is all part and parcel of trying to raise the standards and remove the areas of insecurity.'' The Minister spoke out after she ordered the warring parties in the ACE building site dispute to get around the table and talk.

Editorial: Page 4 Cox to make code legally binding And she appeared to lay the blame on ACE building contractors Precision Construction for taking a hard line on talks aimed at ending the dispute -- which centres around the sacking of several workers and union recognition.

Hundreds of Bermuda Industrial Union members yesterday gathered for a mass meeting at the union's HQ and marched on the ACE building site.

Ms Cox said: "I'm very pleased to report that following the meeting at the Bermuda Industrial Union, the membership have returned to work.'' She added: "In response to a request from the Bermuda Industrial Union, the Labour Relations Office has attempted to bring both sides together in a meeting to try to settle the dispute.

"This proved unsuccessful because the management of Precision Construction has been unwilling to meet.

"For this reason, it was my considered view that the way to resolve the dispute, in the interests of the Country, was to refer the matter to the Trade Disputes Tribunal.'' Ms Cox said: "I think, as I said at the Labour Day activities, I'm always concerned that the processes are followed.

"What disappoints me is that where there is a need and opportunity for parties to come to the table and enter into dialogue, that opportunity is squandered.

"It has to be better when you have both parties, management and union, sitting down in a constructive framework to resolve this -- it has to be better than if it's legislated.'' And she named lawyer and company troubleshooter Arlene Brock to head the Trades Disputes Tribunal set up to end the dispute -- which had threatened to escalate into a islandwide strike.

And Ms Cox has invited both the firm involved and the BIU to nominate a representative to sit on the Tribunal.

Ferries, buses, garbage collection and other services were among the services disrupted as workers downed tools to attend the meeting and join the protest march.

Ms Cox added: "The Trades Dispute Tribunal is a mechanism I have available to me under the labour legislation to bring the parties together to talk.

"I trust that this will be successful and that any issues surrounding the dispute may be resolved.'' And the move means that union members will go back to work pending the tribunal's findings on the dispute.

And the findings of the tribunal will be accepted as legally binding on both parties -- lifting fears of long-running industrial action on the Island.

A voluntary code of good industrial relations practice was introduced in 1995 by the then-United Bermuda Party Government.

It set out guidelines for firms to follow over rights in the workplace, wrongful dismissal, discrimination terms and conditions of employment, lock-outs, strikes, picketing and grievance procedures.

But Ms Cox said: "Some employers have been following it -- others have not.'' Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott said yesterday that some garbage collections in the east end of the Island had been disrupted by the union meeting -- but that the remainder of the rounds would be carried out today.

Paula Cox