Workers Revolutionary Party - Airport workers support Sunday’s march

The News Line: News Thursday, 1 December 2005 Airport workers support Sunday’s march

Labour MP JOHN McDONNELL with locked-out Gate Gourmet workers at a ‘Defend Fire Safety’ rally at Kings Cross last Saturday

LOCKED out Gate Gourmet workers yesterday got great support for their march this Sunday for reinstatement for all sacked workers on their original terms and conditions.

Whilst maintaining their picket in the open air at Heathrow, since the TGWU leadership has ceased providing the tent they used for shelter, two campaign teams toured the Heathrow area.

One team went into the airport and got great support from British Airways and other airport workers.

One of the team Chanan Rattu said: ‘We got a lot of support from the airport. One BA manager said he will come to the march on Sunday and what Gate Gourmet did to us was very bad.

‘He also said that he supported the suspended BA shop steward Iggy Vaid and that there should be a massive march in support of all the sacked Gate Gourmet workers.

‘An Amicus shop steward said that he will raise it on the airport at his branch to support the march on Sunday and a T&G rep said that he had just come back from a union meeting where he had not been told the truth by the Transport and General Workers Union about what had happened to us.

‘He said he was told that the dispute was over and that he supported us.’

The other team went to Ealing Council offices where they met UNISON branch officers and members, who said they would come on the march.

Ealing local government UNISON branch secretary Chris Morey told the Gate Gourmet team: ‘What has happened to you is not acceptable.

‘Bosses must not be allowed to cut wages and conditions in this way. It shows the need to get rid of the anti-union laws.

‘We will support your march and rally in Southall.’

At Ealing Hospital, porters, domestic workers receptionists, nurses and doctors all took leaflets and pledged support.

Jenny Hawtin, a receptionist and TGWU member, said: ‘The union leaders shouldn’t say they are going to fight and then give up.

‘It’s disgusting. They should be out in front with their members.

‘The same thing as has happened to you is happening to us with the Agenda for Change.

‘They have already cut overtime rates. The union must fight.’