year, it was claimed yesterday.

Hotel chief Mr. Dennis Tucker described the Bermuda Industrial Union's proposed improvements as "exorbitant''.

He said hotels currently forked out roughly $3,360,016 in sick leave, assuming everyone claimed entitlement.

This figure, depicting the "worst scenario'', would be bumped up to $5,482,296 under the union proposal.

"Assuming the same usage, the increase in costs to the employer would be 63 percent,'' said Mr. Tucker.

Mr. Tucker, president of the Hotel Employers of Bermuda, said the BIU's proposed improvement in paid holiday leave would also shoot up costs, leading to a 38 percent increase from $1,972,272 to $2,720,327.

The changes were proposed by the union for the second year of a collective bargaining agreement.

Mr. Tucker said the sick leave and vacation statistics were based on an HEB survey in June.

He was speaking yesterday at the resumption of the hotel workers' contract talks before the Essential Industries Disputes Settlement Board.

The inquiry at Cathedral Hall started in May, but has twice been adjourned.

The last collective HEB/BIU agreement expired on February 24, 1991.

Both union and management camps have locked horns over thrashing out a new agreement.

The William Hobgood Award last year following arbitration was rejected by the union.

The BIU claims for across-the-board pay and conditions improvements have been rejected by bosses.

They argue the recession-hit hotels cannot afford the increases, with occupancy levels plummeting.

At the outset yesterday, BIU president Mr. Ottiwell Simmons MP blasted the media for failing to respond to a bar on television camers and tape recorders from the hearing.

He had earlier branded the ban as an attack on democracy.

Mr. Simmons also protested the BIU was being unfairly treated by inquiry chairman Mr. Ronald Haughton.

He claimed the union was not being given a proper chance to cross-examine HEB witnesses.

And he accused HEB lawyer Mr. Stephen Shawe of leading his first witness, Mr.

Tucker.

"Mr. Shawe is giving the testimony,'' Mr. Simmons alleged.

Mr. Haughton, however, said he had already ruled on procedures for calling witnesses.

Mr. Shawe took Mr. Tucker through the BIU proposals for a new agreement.

These included demands for employees working on public holidays to be paid double time, topped up by one day's pay.

The union also wanted overtime computed on a daily basis, rather than weekly.

Mr. Tucker said both proposals had been rejected at a 1988 Board of Inquiry.

And since then hotel occupancy levels had slumped even more, further restricting management's hand, he added.

Mr. Tucker also touched upon union proposals for an expansion in maternity leave, and for night maids to be treated as full-time employees.

Management wanted the current position to remain unchanged, he said.

Mr. Dennis Tucker.