GATE Gourmet locked-out workers are calling on all trade unionists to join them on their march through Hounslow on Saturday the 25th of March.
Speaking on the picket line near Heathrow Airport Terminal Four yesterday, Asha Varma told News Line: ‘Our march must be a big success.
‘We were unfairly dismissed because the company wanted to bring in slave labour.
‘At the start the union leaders said they would fight the company and support us all the way, but instead they have signed the compromise deal and are helping the company.
‘They have stopped paying our hardship pay and are putting so much pressure on people to sign the deal. The original Compromise Agreement said everyone would have to sign by November, since then they have had many made-to-measure deadlines.
‘They have phoned people in their homes in the evening saying we may not win our employment tribunal cases and we should sign the deal. If the union leaders can’t look after their own members then they should resign and go.’
Surinder Dhaliwal said: ‘We are going to our employment tribunals and we will see the company in court, all trade unionists should come on our march, especially T&G members and airport workers.
‘The outcome of our struggle is important for all workers on the airport. If Gate Gourmet gets away with sacking workers for no reason then British Airways and other companies will do the same, and if Woodley (TGWU General Secretary) gets away with agreeing to compulsory redundancies at Gate Gourmet then he will agree to them at BA and anywhere else.’
Amarjit Bagar told News Line: ‘I went to the union office this morning to ask for my hardship pay.
‘After half-an-hour of struggle to find out from the official, they said the company has finished your job and sent you your P45 and you are not going to get any more hardship money.
‘This is disgusting, the union has to support us, we want other T&G members to take up our fight.’
