New British Airways Chief Executive Willie Walsh, who takes up his post this weekend, plans to sack 6,000 out of BA’s 46,000-strong workforce, starting with 500 baggage handlers and cargo loaders.
Walsh intends to cut the company’s annual wage bill by £300 million through mass sackings, and the introduction of new working practices for those who remain.
He inherits retiring Chief Executive Rod Eddington’s ‘Fit for Five’ business plan which has replaced the ‘Future Size and Shape’ business plan. This saw 14,000 BA workers out the door since 2002. Walsh was formerly Chief Executive at Aer Lingus where he sacked 2,000 of the company’s 6,000 staff during the past four years.
A TGWU press officer told News Line yesterday: ‘We are not going to give any comment on speculation about BA job losses at the moment. We look forward to working with Mr Walsh on the company’s major challenges. What is being discussed is the move to Terminal Five, the ongoing competition in the aviation industry and the increasing price of fuel. These are challenges that the company and the union have to face together. The speculation about BA job losses is unhelpful at this stage.’
She added: ‘We are in discussions with BA at the moment about the suspensions of BA workers who came out in support of the Gate Gourmet workers, but I have absolutely no comment about it.’
Speaking on the picket line at Heathrow yesterday, Gate Gourmet worker Mr A Singh told News Line: ‘We have to support the BA workers who came out to support us. That’s one reason why we can’t accept this sell-out deal. I’ve read what the Gate Gourmet bosses are saying about the deal, thanking union leaders Brendan Gold, Tony Woodley and Brendan Barber for selling us.
‘It’s like Tom and Jerry, they pretend they’re against each other but really they’re in a game together. After weeks saying how bad the other is they now say they’re best friends. I don’t want to sign this deal. If we were going to agree to everything the company wanted then why did we come out in the first place.’
Fellow picket Gurdev said: ‘Obviously Gate Gourmet think they have won, that’s why they are thanking Woodley and the others. They are thanking them for selling all these people under this lousy deal.
‘The company is bringing in new people on lower rates, new work practices for everyone and getting rid of those it calls “troublemakers” for peanuts. The union leaders said they wouldn’t allow the company to pick and choose who it had back, but that’s exactly what they are doing. Woodley, Gold and Barber have to go. They said it’s the best deal, but it’s the worst deal.’
Shop steward, Inder said: ‘144 people are going to receive letters from the company saying they are being made compulsorily redundant. It could be any of us. So now we are all going to be looking at the post every morning to see if it is us. This deal is disgusting.’
Senior Shop Steward Jim Vickars told pickets: ‘Next Tuesday Gate Gourmet’s board is meeting to ratify the agreement and on Wednesday the union will be pushing all the buttons for it to go through fast. 144 compulsory redundancy letters will be sent out and each person who receives one will have to visit a solicitor, each and every one. We don’t know the names yet. The union is trying to organise for 20 solicitors to be available at the TGWU office in Hillingdon.
‘The final compromise agreement is in the final stages of being discussed. Those who have applied for voluntary redundancy will have the right to change their mind, but will still have to sign a disclaimer.’
