Locked out Gate Gourmet workers, on their picket line at Heathrow Airport yesterday, spoke out in support of the French airport workers who are today taking action against the transfer of British Airways (BA) workers to cheap labour privateer Globeground.
Parmjit Bains said: ‘We send greetings to the French workers. BA are playing with their lives, just like they are playing with ours.
‘BA is behind what’s going on there, just like here.
‘BA has just given the new contract to Gate Gourmet as a reward for what they did to us.
‘They locked us out because they want to replace us with cheap labour and no rights.’
Parmjit continued: ‘People are very worried and on edge. Half of us have put in our claims for employment tribunal already but the other half are relying on the union to do it.
‘I went to the union office on Monday and they said they would be sending them in by Wednesday – that’s leaving things to the last day.
‘I asked why and the solicitor says she can’t tell us.
‘We are fighting the union leaders all the time to make sure we are all going to win our jobs back.’
Mr A Singh said: ‘What’s happening in France is what’s happening here. BA and all the airlines are doing the same.
‘After us, BA is planning to move onto the baggage handlers and all the ground staff.
‘They want to get rid of good experienced workers and replace them with cheap labour.’
He continued: ‘It is our fundamental right to go back into our jobs. Nobody wanted to lose their jobs, they forced us out and locked us out.
‘That’s why it’s such a big scandal here.
‘The union leaders have to pull their socks up, they are not doing enough.
‘If the union thinks it’s got power, it should pull other workers out and get more support.’
Chanan Rattu said: ‘BA must want cheap labour. BA and the whole airport, including gate gourmet should be nationalised with workers on proper wages and conditions.
‘We are all here until we win our jobs back.
‘We want more people to join us on the hill to give us and the BA workers their support.’
Mani Odedra said: ‘The deal has collapsed because we will not give up all our rights to Gate Gourmet.
‘There must be a settlement here where we all go back inside on our original terms and conditions.
‘That’s the only settlement.
‘We want a march. we want the TGWU to call a national demonstration and invite all members, all the Heathrow workers, to join us.
‘If this is happening to us today, it will happen to many others tomorrow.’