Hospital managers have been accused of using intimidation tactics to suppress staff dissatisfaction and dissent at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

And in a further development in the ongoing dispute, some staff claim the futures of 30 nursing supervisors hang in the balance because they have yet to be re-appointed to new positions under the new programme management structure -- due to be implemented at the beginning of November.

In an unsigned document passed on to both BIU President Derrick Burgess and BPSA General Secretary Ed Ball Jr, disgruntled staff said: "The Bermuda Hospitals Board has declared its view on its relationship with employees by launching a search for an employee who had gathered petition signatures.

"The Communications specialist and hospital security were trying to find and evict the staff member who was circulating the petition. Additionally some employees who signed the petition have been questioned and threatened by management. It is our view that for an executive director that prides herself on effective communications to resort to these intimidation tactics is disgraceful and disrespectful.

"The employees are concerned that the trust and working relationship that has existed with the Board has become strained and weakened over the past four years.'' Last night a spokeswoman for the Bermuda Hospitals Board dismissed the allegations as "simply not true''.

She was also able to produce a dossier containing a timetable of dozens of consultation meetings that had been ongoing since the programme management project was first examined earlier this year.

And to quash concerns over the future of supervisors who have not been relocated she insisted that at least another 20 supervisors will eventually find new positions once selection procedures have been completed. The spokeswoman also insisted that the 100 workers who signed the petition expressing concerns at management style represent only a small proportion of the hospital's 800 full time staff.

In a joint Press conference yesterday both Mr. Ball Jr. and Mr. Burgess played down the allegations.

And they confirmed that fresh talks between management and workers were set to go ahead.

"We need to get to the bottom of concerns and we need to get everyone around the table,'' Mr. Ball said.

"We have had discussions with BHB chairman Mr. Brian Talbot with a view to meeting him in the first instance to outline the terms of reference that will be used.

"From our perspective there are management rights and union rights and we have to discuss them to see where the demarcation line is. If people come to the table willing to ensure that this process is done both sides will at last be able to see a break in positions.'' Last night BHB chairman Clement Talbot expressed his surprise at the allegations.

"As recently as today an agreement was made with officials of both unions to discuss the issues,'' he said.

"This small group of staff members are content to be theatrical playing to the media. We have made several offers to sit and meet face to face - to date they have gone ignored.''