‘WE appeal to all Transport and General Workers Union branches and workers and the whole trade union movement to come to our support,’ Gate Gourmet locked-out worker Parmjit Bains said yesterday.
She was speaking on the eve of today’s six-month anniversary mass picket between 1.30pm and 2.30pm at the Beacon Roundabout, Beacon Road, near Heathrow Airport Terminal Four.
She continued: ‘The company and the union leaders are playing a dirty game with us, they are playing with our emotions.
‘The company sacked us and locked us out on the 10th of August and the union leaders signed a deal accepting 150 compulsory redundancies, and much worse terms and conditions for those inside.
‘Now the union has stopped our hardship payments, the union solicitor rang me up to ask why I hadn’t signed the “compromise deal” it is disgusting.
‘They are phoning and putting pressure on people to sign because the company and the union leaders don’t want us to go to our employment tribunals to claim unfair dismissal.’
Locked-out worker Jasbir Dosanjh said: ‘It is disgusting that the union leaders cut off our hardship payments on the 6th of January.
‘We need money to keep us going until our employment tribunals. Peoples’ families are suffering because of what the company and union leaders have done.’
Mohinder Virk said: ‘I have had another letter from the union solicitor and a call last night at 9pm. They are telling me to sign the compromise deal, just saying come to the union office and sign.
‘They are desperate for us to sign the compromise deal but I can’t sign.
‘I am fighting for my job and for the future. It is my duty to fight against my compulsory redundancy. I am very proud of myself.’
The locked-out workers were campaigning for today’s anniversary picket at Terminal Four yesterday.
They spoke to British Airways worker and T&G member Pete Jarvis. He said: ‘We came out in sympathy with you and we fully support you 100 per cent.
‘BA has sacked two of our shop stewards for supporting you. It’s not right that the union has stopped paying hardship money to these members. The company and the union leaders hope that the hardship and the weather will defeat you.’
‘It is absolutely necessary that you win, the union must restore the hardship payments, provide shelter for your picket, support you at your employment tribunals and fight for your reinstatement.’
• Second news story
6-1 VOTE FOR TUBE STRIKE ACTION
Rail Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) Tube drivers on the London Underground have voted by a margin of six to one in favour of strike action.
Sister union ASLEF drivers have also voted five to one to strike.
RMT general secretary Bob Crow announced yesterday that 3,500 drivers belonging to the RMT and rail union ASLEF are set for 24-hour strikes on February 21st and 2nd March.
The RMT balloted its 1,500 Tube driver members, alongside Aslef, over ‘issues that include policy on signals passed at danger (Spads), health and safety, bargaining arrangements, harassment, discipline, denial of representation rights and imposition of excessive punishments’.
ASLEF general secretary Keith Norman announced separately that ASLEF has given London Underground three weeks to sort out a ‘serious breakdown in industrial relations and trust’ – or its members will begin a series of 24-hour non-continuous strikes.
A membership ballot announced early this month revealed that 81.3 per cent of members in LUL voted for action.
Norman said yesterday: ‘Management now have a three-week window in which to review their attitude towards industrial relations and particularly disciplinary matters.’
He called on LUL to negotiate, adding: ‘If they do not, we will be taking action on 21 February and 2 March.’
ASLEF accuses London Underground Ltd of ‘ignoring agreements, imposing change without negotiation and inflicting excessive and draconian punishments’.
The RMT has also balloted another 5,000 Tube workers, including signallers and station staff.
