Workers Revolutionary Party - Gate Gourmet campaign team at Heathrow

The News Line: News Tuesday, 10 January 2006 Gate Gourmet campaign team at Heathrow

Gate Gourmet locked-out workers on the picket line at Heathrow yesterday

A CAMPAIGN team was out fighting for the locked out Gate Gourmet workers conference yesterday.

They visited Heathrow Airport and saw British Airways checking staff, baggage handlers and security workers on Terminals 2 and 4.

These workers expressed great concern about the sacking of the two BA union reps, and gave their support to the locked out Gate Gourmet workers.

Harbans Saroway, a locked out Gate Gourmet worker told News Line: ‘People on the airport supported us and said that they would come to our conference.

‘They agreed with us and said that now that BA is sacking workers the union must fight.

‘We need the whole union to support us. The union leaders don’t want to fight but we are fighting.
‘These bosses must be stopped from cutting wages and locking out and sacking people.’

Lakhinder Saran said that ‘The sacking of the BA shop stewards is a massive challenge to the TGWU.

‘Our conference is to fight for them and for us and for the whole working class.

‘People in the airport warned that after the union reps had been sacked no one is safe.

‘They said that Tony Woodley is doing nothing. If he can’t assist them how can he defend us?’

Jasbir Gupta said: ‘People on the airport were complaining about the union leaders.

‘They said that the union must fight for our reinstatement and for the reinstatement of the two shop stewards.

‘Our conference is so important for the whole of the trade union movement.’

Sukhvinder added: ‘We want the union to pay hardship money every two weeks not once a month.
We are all struggling very much, but we are not going to give up.

‘We are all fighting for our jobs, and won’t sign away our rights.

‘The union must help us more’.