CedarBridge Academy support staff have demanded crunch talks with education bosses as a "last resort" before industrial action.
Up to 50 disgruntled workers are anxiously awaiting a meeting between union officials and Education Minister El James.
Support staff are "clinging to the hope" that Minister James will overrule the board of governors' money-saving proposal to cut their weekly hours from 35 to 30.
Workers hope to resolve the dispute "the peaceful way" but are prepared to take industrial action. This could involve a public protest, a march through Hamilton or strike action.
At the centre of the row are administration assistants, cafeteria workers, security guards and maintenance workers, but not teachers.
One support staff member, who did not want to be named, said they were now playing a waiting game: "The union will meet with the Education Minister on our behalf," he told us. "We are so, so worried about our jobs and we are hoping the minister puts a stop to all this and overrules things; he knows our plight and understands the issues.
"We are hoping to do this the peaceful way, but we will do whatever it takes. We can't go on like this."
Plan to cut hours
As revealed by the Bermuda Sun last week, the workers - who are represented by the Bermuda Public Services Union (BPSU) -say they won't be able to make ends meet with reduced working hours.
But George Scott, chairman of CedarBridge's board of governors, said the reduction in the school's budget meant they had to either cut back on support staff hours or cut jobs.
Our source said he and his colleagues were supported by most of the school's teachers and students: "Nothing has changed, nothing has got any better. We are still going full-steam ahead with our plans for industrial action.
"This has been going on for a long time and we are ready to take a vote count on industrial action. Of course industrial action is not what we want, we are in shock that it has got this bad, but it is what will happen if we don't get anywhere soon."
The support staff are said to have compiled a list of "other suggestions" as to how the school can save money. The cost-cutting ideas put forward include the school growing its own vegetables and cutting down on catering at functions.
The support worker said: "We understand the difficult times Bermuda is in right now, but this is craziness. Cutting our hours is not the only way to save money, they need to consider other options. It's like a war up here. We want the public to understand that all is not well at CedarBridge."
BPSU president Armell Thomas did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
