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22/08/2005
Gate Gourmet facing administration
Gate Gourmet facing administration
Catering firm Gate Gourmet has claimed that it is facing administration unless a new contract is agreed with its main client, British Airways.
The US-owned firm, which provides catering on all BA flights from Heathrow, has warned that it will be forced into administration if a new deal cannot be worked out by 5pm on Tuesday.
Gate Gourmet is at the centre of a dispute, which resulted in severe disruptions at Heathrow airport a fortnight ago.
The dispute began when Gate Gourmet sacked 670 workers for allegedly taking unofficial strike action. The move prompted around 1,000 BA staff to walk out on unofficial strike action, which resulted in the cancellation of 700 BA flights and left thousands of passengers stranded.
Gate Gourmet has been engaged in talks with both BA and the Transport and General Workers Union, but the talks have been unsuccessful. The union has called for the sacked staff to be reinstated, but the firm says that this will not happen. Gate Gourmet is facing a financial crisis and looks set to lose £25 million this year.
The TGWU General Secretary, Tony Woodley, addressed a mass meeting on Monday. He said: “The Gate Gourmet workers’ case now goes beyond just an industrial dispute. They are the focus for the trade union movement and the fight for decency and justice in the workplace.
“We believe that 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.”
BA has started to serve hot meals on its long-haul flights again for the first time since the dispute began. However, short-haul passengers are still being provided with bags of cold food prior to boarding their flights. The airline is planning to resume the service of hot meals on all their flights again from Wednesday.
The sacked Gate Gourmet workers are continuing to protest at Heathrow, despite the firm obtaining a court injunction on Sunday. The firm was granted the injunction, which limits the number of protestors who can picket outside the firms’ office, after claiming that some members of staff had suffered intimidation. However, the High Court ruled that the protests could still continue, although at a suitable distance from the office.
(KMcA/SP)
Catering firm Gate Gourmet has claimed that it is facing administration unless a new contract is agreed with its main client, British Airways.
The US-owned firm, which provides catering on all BA flights from Heathrow, has warned that it will be forced into administration if a new deal cannot be worked out by 5pm on Tuesday.
Gate Gourmet is at the centre of a dispute, which resulted in severe disruptions at Heathrow airport a fortnight ago.
The dispute began when Gate Gourmet sacked 670 workers for allegedly taking unofficial strike action. The move prompted around 1,000 BA staff to walk out on unofficial strike action, which resulted in the cancellation of 700 BA flights and left thousands of passengers stranded.
Gate Gourmet has been engaged in talks with both BA and the Transport and General Workers Union, but the talks have been unsuccessful. The union has called for the sacked staff to be reinstated, but the firm says that this will not happen. Gate Gourmet is facing a financial crisis and looks set to lose £25 million this year.
The TGWU General Secretary, Tony Woodley, addressed a mass meeting on Monday. He said: “The Gate Gourmet workers’ case now goes beyond just an industrial dispute. They are the focus for the trade union movement and the fight for decency and justice in the workplace.
“We believe that 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.”
BA has started to serve hot meals on its long-haul flights again for the first time since the dispute began. However, short-haul passengers are still being provided with bags of cold food prior to boarding their flights. The airline is planning to resume the service of hot meals on all their flights again from Wednesday.
The sacked Gate Gourmet workers are continuing to protest at Heathrow, despite the firm obtaining a court injunction on Sunday. The firm was granted the injunction, which limits the number of protestors who can picket outside the firms’ office, after claiming that some members of staff had suffered intimidation. However, the High Court ruled that the protests could still continue, although at a suitable distance from the office.
(KMcA/SP)
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12 August 2005
Talks to begin over Heathrow catering row
Talks are set to begin in an attempt to resolve the industrial dispute, which has led to the cancellation of flights and the stranding of over 70,000 passengers at London’s Heathrow airport.
Talks to begin over Heathrow catering row
Talks are set to begin in an attempt to resolve the industrial dispute, which has led to the cancellation of flights and the stranding of over 70,000 passengers at London’s Heathrow airport.
23 August 2005
BA ‘optimistic’ about Gate Gourmet deal
British Airways have said they are “optimistic” of reaching a new deal with its troubled catering supplier Gate Gourmet. On Monday, the US-owned catering firm warned that its UK operation faced collapse unless a new deal could be secured with BA by 17:00BST.
BA ‘optimistic’ about Gate Gourmet deal
British Airways have said they are “optimistic” of reaching a new deal with its troubled catering supplier Gate Gourmet. On Monday, the US-owned catering firm warned that its UK operation faced collapse unless a new deal could be secured with BA by 17:00BST.
16 August 2005
Talks in Heathrow catering row break down
Talks between catering firm Gate Gourmet and the Transport and General Workers Union have broken down after the two sides failed to reach an agreement. Discussions resumed earlier today in an attempt to resolve the dispute, which resulted in the cancellation of hundreds of British Airways flights last week.
Talks in Heathrow catering row break down
Talks between catering firm Gate Gourmet and the Transport and General Workers Union have broken down after the two sides failed to reach an agreement. Discussions resumed earlier today in an attempt to resolve the dispute, which resulted in the cancellation of hundreds of British Airways flights last week.
11 August 2005
BA suspends check-ins as catering dispute escalates
British Airways has been forced to suspend all check-ins at London’s Heathrow Airport, after staff walked out in support of sacked catering staff. The company at the centre of the row, Gate Gourmet, have reportedly now sacked 800 workers since the dispute began on Wednesday.
BA suspends check-ins as catering dispute escalates
British Airways has been forced to suspend all check-ins at London’s Heathrow Airport, after staff walked out in support of sacked catering staff. The company at the centre of the row, Gate Gourmet, have reportedly now sacked 800 workers since the dispute began on Wednesday.
29 September 2005
Deal agreed in Gate Gourmet dispute
A deal has been reached by catering firm Gate Gourmet and the Transport and General Workers Union to bring an end to the long-running dispute at Heathrow Airport. The row began in August when nearly 700 catering staff, mainly Asian women, were sacked by the US-owned firm in a row over the restructuring of the company.
Deal agreed in Gate Gourmet dispute
A deal has been reached by catering firm Gate Gourmet and the Transport and General Workers Union to bring an end to the long-running dispute at Heathrow Airport. The row began in August when nearly 700 catering staff, mainly Asian women, were sacked by the US-owned firm in a row over the restructuring of the company.
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