GATE GOURMET locked out workers joined the Amicus and TGWU campaign to save Peugeot jobs at the International Motor Show in Docklands, east London yesterday and sold a ticket for their anniversary rally in Southall on the 20th of August.
Roger Maddison, Amicus national officer for the motor industry, told News Line why the two unions were handing out leaflets to people attending the Motor Show.
He said: ‘2,300 workers are being sacked in Coventry and we are asking people not to buy Peugeot cars.
‘They are moving production to eastern Europe for cheaper labour.
‘They will be paying only pay 25 per cent of the wages that the Coventry workers get.
‘Half the jobs are going in the next two weeks and the rest by this time next year. Ryton is a profitable factory and always has been, we’ve put forward a business plan but they won’t even talk to us.
‘We’ve tried talking to save jobs and I would call for the TUC to call a day of action to defend jobs and services.’
TGWU regional industrial organiser Paul Travers said: ‘We’ve got to put up a fight and make clear to Peugeot that we will not just roll over and accept mass sackings.’
Travers added: ‘I sympathise with the Gate Gourmet workers and I don’t think there would be a T&G member who doesn’t. I will make every effort to come to their rally.’
Coach Adele Kaplan, TGWU branch secretary of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, bought her ticket for the Gate Gourmet rally.
She said: ‘At Dagenham we have seen the dreadful consequences of car factory closures and we sympathise with our brothers and sisters in Ryton as we do with our Gate Gourmet brothers and sisters.
‘We need action to defend jobs and services.’
Gate Gourmet locked-out worker Gurdish Sidhu told News Line: ‘We want people to come to our anniversary and we hope that the Peugeot workers will come.
We are in the same fight to defend jobs. We want T&G members to raise the fact that we need our hardship money restored. We are going to our tribunal in November and we are confident of winning. We need our hardship payments until the tribunal.’
Raj Sahdev said: ‘We go everywhere to meet trade unionists to ask them for support. We support the car workers in Coventry and we hope they will come to our rally.’