Dear Editor

Hackney TUC met on Tuesday 6th September and formed a support group for the 670 workers who were sacked by British Airway's catering company, Gate Gourmet. We heard from workers how Gate Gourmet had planned for over a year to dismiss the workers in order to employ agency workers on lower pay and worse terms and conditions. Gate Gourmet workers earn on average £12,000 producing in-flight meals. This is hardly a living wage in London but the company want to drive down pay even further to increase their profits. Yet, David Bonderman, an American tycoon whose business owns Gate Gourmet is reported to have spent £5.5 million on his 60th birthday party!

The workers are members of the Transport and General Workers Union and their General Secretary stated: 'the Gate Gourmet workers' case now goes beyond just an industrial dispute," he said. "They are the focus for the trade union movement and the fight for decency and justice in the workplace. We do not forget that many of our people were sacked with three minutes notice over a public address system and with twenty minutes notice by a megaphone," said Mr. Woodley. "These are decent, hard-working, honourable people who have been treating appallingly. We believe British Airways should do the decent thing and resist the pressure to let Gate Gourmet benefit from their actions but equally BA should be clear the public support for this group of workers is massive and may well affect their business."

Hackney TUC is supporting the sacked workers who are fighting to get their jobs back, we have been doing collections and have visited the picket line at Heathrow where workers are holding daily protests at the way they have been treated. If you would like to get involved in supporting Gate Gourmet sacked workers then give us a call or visit our web site for further details www.hackneytuc.org.uk.

Jane Holgate

Secretary, Hackney Trades Union Council