GATE GOURMET locked-out workers were made to dismantle their picket tent and move from the Gate Gourmet factory gates by Heathrow Airport police yesterday.
‘I received an e-mail this morning saying any gathering outside the factory gate is a demonstration and as such contravenes the by-laws.’
Inspector Bogie told the picket: ‘My instructions are that this is not an official picket, that it is a demonstration and as such it contravenes the Heathrow by-laws.
When told that a High Court judge had ruled last September that the locked-out workers could picket the factory gate and demonstrate on the hill at the nearby Beacon Roundabout, he replied: ‘As far as we are concerned it is a legal matter that has been sorted out between BAA (British Airports Authority) and the TGWU. Now if you don’t take the tent down you will be arrested.’
A BAA duty manager, Simon Fraser arrived and said: ‘As far as we are concerned the Gate Gourmet dispute is dissolved, our legal department says the issues that went to court have been dissolved.’
The locked-out workers had picketed the plant on Wednesday after they were told by Duty Inspector Harrisson on Tuesday that they would have to stop picketing on Beacon Hill, but that it was perfectly legal for them to picket the Gate Gourmet plant gate.
Angry TGWU members picketing the factory told News Line that the union had to defend their rights.
Kulwinder Grewal said: ‘We have to keep our picket going, the union has the responsibility to protect us from arrest, the High Court ruling still applies.’
Devinder Bath said: ‘The union must tell us where we can stand, the union must support us.’
Surinder Dhaliwal said: ‘This is such an important struggle, people must come to our march through Hounslow on the 25th of March to demonstrate their support for us.
‘We are going to our employment tribunals to claim unfair dismissal, the union is supporting us at these tribunals it must therefore defend our right to picket until the tribunals.’
Sukhvinder Basra said: ‘The union is responsible for its members’ safety it must come to our help.’
