GATE Gourmet locked-out workers are inviting all trade unionists and their families and friends to come to their rally in Southall Community Centre, Merrick Road at 2pm this Sunday.
The Transport and General Workers Union members, who have been locked out from their jobs at Heathrow Airport since August last year, are going to their employment tribunals for unfair dismissal beginning on the 13th of November.
Many British Airways workers bought their tickets for tomorrow’s meeting on yesterday’s campaign.
Baggage handler Alan Brunby said: ‘BA are worried about upsetting us before they move to Terminal 5 in eighteen months or two years’ time, then they are going to sell us down the river, they will offer us a lousy deal which we can’t accept or just try to sack us like Murdoch did at Wapping.
‘The union leaders haven’t a clue but we are determined to defend our rights, I’ll come on Sunday.’
TGWU member and baggage handler Amarjit Prashar said: ‘We know we are going to have to fight.
‘These leaders do deals under the table, they sell out. We need leaders in the union who are determined to win, we must defend our jobs, conditions and our pensions.
‘The Gate Gourmet workers are very brave, I am proud that I came out on strike to support them last year.’
BA loader Morgan said: ‘We don’t know what they are going to do about our pensions and BA keeps on telling us different things about the move to T5.
‘BA announced today that they lost £100 million in August, they are planning to make us pay and change the system of working when they move from here to T5.’
BA loader D Raulia bought his ticket and said: ‘I used to work for BA catering. When they sold it to Gate Gourmet in 1997 I came to work for BA loading, the catering should come back in-house then I could go back and work there, I used to like it.
‘BA should be renationalised, we’ve been saying this for a long time, now they are threatening our pensions.
‘Gate Gourmet workers have done well, I will be at the meeting on Sunday.’
