‘It’s very good to see that the British Airways pilots are ready to strike – things are coming to a head,’ locked out Gate Gourmet worker Mrs Asha Varma told News Line yesterday.
Speaking on the picket line at Heathrow Airport, she added: ‘All workers on the airport are having to fight for their rights and should fight together.
‘The BA pilots are very strong. When they took action before, the planes were all stranded around the world and the company had to back down.’
The locked out workers spoke enthusiastically about last Friday’s six months anniversary mass picket.
Mrs Parmjeet Sidhu said: ‘Last Friday showed everyone that we are still fighting for our rights and are going to win.’
Mrs Satpal Sagoo added: ‘We want trade unionists all over the country to take up our fight and make the TGWU restore our hardship payments. We are fighting for everyone’s rights, not just our own.’
Mrs Devinder Bath asked: ‘How can we live with no money? We are fighting for the union and the union must restore our hardship payments.’
Mrs Sukhwinder Mundy added: ‘Last Friday, the union solicitor phoned me and said it was the last day to sign the Compromise Agreement and that I would be better off to sign.
‘How many last dates have there been? It shows the company and the union leaders are desperate, but we won’t sign.’
