‘WHEN we went to the TUC in Brighton last month, they voted unanimously to support our struggle now we need that support to be turned into action,’ said Gate Gourmet picket Amarwant at Heathrow Airport yesterday.
She continued: ‘The leaders of our union have negotiated a terrible deal with the company which we won’t accept.
‘The issues are very simple is this company going to be allowed to sack hard working people for no reason including people like me, who was on a rest day, or are the unions going to protect their members?
‘The unions must do something or people will never trust them again so now what are the TUC leaders going to do to help us?’
Fellow TGWU member Gurdev told News Line ‘I’m sending my form applying for an employment tribunal first thing tomorrow morning.’
She continued: ‘The company didn’t send 144 compulsory redundancy letters like they said they were going to, they send 180 and I’m one of them.
‘We were all terribly upset to get them I’ve never been in trouble, never had a warning letter, hardly every sick, anyway none of us are accepting it.
‘It was a terrible deal which the union leaders should never have agreed to. In fact they agreed to it a long time ago in August but the company has been playing for time, we are not accepting, we are all going for a tribunal.’
Fellow picket Manny, said: ‘I’ve sent my form in already and I’m telling all my friends to do the same because we don’t trust the TGWU leaders to do it.’
Chanan Rattu said: ‘I sent my application for an employment tribunal on the 26th. I want reinstatement and payment for all the weeks I’ve been locked out. I’m advising all my colleagues to do the same. Get it in before it’s too late. We have got massive support from all over the country and we know we are going to win and get our jobs back. My job is still inside and I want it back.’
Chanan added: ‘We are picketing every day until we win and we want everyone to join us.’