Sloppy attitudes from employees could spell the death knell to Bermuda's economic prospects a union leader has warned.

And Bermuda Public Service Association General Secretary Ed Ball said complacency in the tourist sector could see visitors going elsewhere.

He said some workers try to take corners.

He said: "They are not being productive enough. People are too comfortable, they feel the money will always come here and the tourists will always come here.

"The attitude is `you can't fire me because there is full employment and I can always find a job somewhere else'. But this is short sighted.

"The customer is always right. If we don't get a handle on the negative things we will have a problem.'' He said he had been shocked at the slack attitude of some who worked in the tourist sector. "I had some tourists here recently and we went into one place but no one looked up. They didn't say good morning.

"If the tourists stop coming they will be out of a job. Tourists recognise impatience.

"Attitude and manners all affect our product. At the end of the day whether it's tourists or executives if the Bermudian experience becomes harmed then they won't revisit.

"Bermudians have to be mindful of that.'' He contrasted relaxed working practices in Bermuda with those elsewhere in the world.

He noted that in the US workers were fined for lateness and many had only two weeks' vacation.

"If you have an appointment you take it out of your own time.

"A lot of young people think they have arrived, they've got too comfortable, they don't know the sacrifices we made.'' "You need to give a full day's work, to give the best at what you are doing.

If you don't give of yourself don't expect a full day's pay.

"I think a lot of that is going on at the moment. People forget the product.'' He said Bermuda had been at the forefront of tourism but was now slipping behind other countries who were offering a better service.

And he noted that on a recent visit to the Bahamas waiters were inspected by the Maitre'd and there was silver service and flambes but such practices had been lost here.

He said: "Bermuda has always targeted itself as being different from the rest of the world but the Caribbean has emulated us and we have lost our individuality that makes us stand out.

"We have to find a different way of doing business.'' Mr. Ball noted The Reefs has prospered by offering a distinctly local service with Bermudian waiters.

"But it's not viable for many Bermudians to go into the tourist industry.'' Mr. Ball called for more better education, and mentors for children to give Bermuda a much-needed shot in the arm.

"We need to get more young Bermudians reading, writing and doing arithmetic.

"We should get seniors involved in the schools for reading exercises.''