dispute at Elbow Beach Hotel.

In a statement released yesterday, BIU president Mr. Ottiwell Simmons MP said a strike at the hotel will only be called "as a very last resort.'' "We seek a settlement, not a strike,'' Mr. Simmons said.

While the union president stated from the outset there would be no strike if hotel management reinstated the collective agreement with hotel workers it terminated on February 25, the tone of his comments yesterday was softer than those made at a news conference last week.

After meeting with about 50 Elbow Beach workers on Thursday, Mr. Simmons said: "They decided that there will be a strike and the strike is on.

"There are no ifs, ands, or buts about that,'' he said, adding that the date for the strike was not set.

Yesterday, Mr. Simmons would only say the day when a strike will be called was "getting near.'' Twice previously, he told reporters a strike at the hotel was imminent. Asked if he felt the union had softened its stance, Mr. Simmons said: "You can interpret it however you like.

"All we are trying to do is to let everybody know that we have a legitimate case and there is no need for us to have to take strike action.'' He maintained there was strong support for the strike among hotel workers.

The union has called a meeting for all BIU hotel workers today and for all BIU members tomorrow. Both are solely to discuss Elbow Beach.

The dispute arose when Elbow Beach management sought to terminate its contract with the BIU and give workers a new deal that included wage increases, improved benefits, profit sharing, and a management-worker committee to settle grievances.

The union objected and Home Affairs Minister the Hon. Irving Pearman referred the matter to the Essential Industries Disputes Settlement Board. A hearing is set for June 28.

Last month, the union announced it would call a token three-day strike once the hotel's occupancy level hit 70 percent.

But management at Elbow Beach says occupancy has exceeded that level for two weeks. Mr. John Jefferis, the hotel's managing director, said yesterday that occupancy will remain above 70 percent through this weekend.

He also blasted the BIU as a harmful anachronism, and asked that Elbow Beach employees "not be misled by empty union rhetoric because when they have no jobs, the union will not help them.'' Mr. Jefferis was especially critical of Mr. Simmons for referring to Bermudians who have offered to work during the strike as "scabs.'' Instead, the 33 people, who are employed, are "patriots, and indeed, revolutionaries who are fed up with this country being continually held hostage by the BIU whilst the silent majority looks on,'' Mr. Jefferis said.

"Their concern is not specifically for Elbow Beach, but for the tourists who are the lifeblood of Bermuda.'' The direction taken by Elbow Beach was "the way of the future,'' he said.

"Just as the union was an admirable revolutionary force in the 1960s, for which we have every respect, we see a need for change for the 1990s.''