‘WE ARE marching for a future where no employer can sack 800 workers by megaphone at a minute’s notice and where trade union leaders fight for the interests of their members and don’t stab them in the back,’ said Gate Gourmet locked-out worker Parmjit Bains yesterday.
Speaking on the eve of tomorrow’s first anniversary march and rally in Southall, she added: ‘Everyone who comes on our march will be giving us a big help. We are very confident of victory and our victory is close.
‘This morning we were interviewed by Desi Radio. It was very good. When we left the studio, a lady came running out of her house to say she had heard our interview and would be coming on our march.
‘Sunrise Radio interviewed me this afternoon and Asian Network is interviewing me on Saturday. There is great interest in our struggle. When we win, we will be winning for the whole working class.’
More postal workers from the Greenford Mail Centre, other workers and local people bought tickets for the rally with Indian food and fabulous entertainment following tomorrow’s march.
CWU member Mehbood Kapadia bought his ticket, saying: ‘We have never seen anything like it, sacking 800 people in one go.
‘Slowly it’s happening here as well. Four years ago the union signed the deal called the Way Forward and since then so many jobs have gone.
‘Our union reps are coming on Sunday and lots of us are coming as a group with our banner.’
CWU member Ashwni Sharma said: ‘I will come to give my support. The workers deserve it. Very bad methods have been used against them.’
Buying his ticket, CWU member Mr Herwitker said: ‘We must have solidarity.’
On the campaign team, locked-out worker Sukhdev Brar said: ‘We want everyone to come to show their support. It’s going to be a great day. It’s been hard for a year, but we’re nearly at our victory.’
Locked-out worker Vijaya Patel said: ‘We have been fighting for our jobs for one year now. We have had lots of support from ordinary workers and union members, but no support from the union leaders.
‘(TGWU General Secretary) Woodley did nothing for us. He put us out on the road. It was him that stopped our hardship payments in January. He must resign.’
Young Socialists members were on the campaign team yesterday. Sam Loy-Fripp said: ‘This struggle is a reflection of a society that has got something seriously wrong with it and must be sorted out.’
Charlotte Chambers added: ‘If we don’t support these workers now, it’s going to be the building blocks for youth to be used as slave labour in the future.’
