Workers Revolutionary Party - WE ARE FIGHTING UNTIL WE WIN

The News Line: News Saturday, 24 December 2005 WE ARE FIGHTING UNTIL WE WIN

Gate Gourmet locked-out workers at their Xmas picket at Heathrow. The remain determined to win their jobs back and are standing firm

LOCKED OUT Gate Gourmet workers received their monthly hardship payments of £228.80 from the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) yesterday.

‘We received it today with no time for the cheque to clear before Christmas.

Speaking on the picket line at Heathrow yesterday, locked out worker Parmjit Bains told News Line: ‘Our union gave us a very small amount, just hardship money, not Christmas money.

‘The union leaders had promised us a double amount as Christmas money.

‘We can’t celebrate, we can’t give presents.

‘We are shocked and angry that the union has removed the appeal for donations to the Gate Gourmet dispute from the TGWU website.

‘That means they want to end the dispute.

‘We are fighting for the whole union and we want the support of the whole union.

‘How can they say the dispute is over?

‘We have refused the “Compromise Agreement’’, unlike the union leaders, who pressed us to sign it.

‘That’s why they’ve taken us off the website and that’s why they are making us worry about our hardship payment cheques.

‘We are very angry at the union leadership, which wants to give Gate Gourmet everything it wants.

‘We are fighting until we win.

‘My message to all the people who are supporting us is very happy Xmas and thanks so much.

‘Please give us your support next year.

‘We are fighting for the whole working class.’

Fellow picket Sukhvinder said: ‘If they won’t let us have a caravan we still need a tent here, with snow coming.

‘How can we sit in the snow and rain. We need shelter.’

Raksha said: ‘The union leaders should resign for what they have done.

‘They told me I should accept redundancy. Why should I? I want my job back and I want payment for all the period since we were locked out.

‘Gate Gourmet dismissed us unfairly.

‘We are going to our employment tribunals and we want the union to take action to make sure that we win our jobs back on our original terms and conditions.

‘We are fighting to win.’