24.08.05
Talks in the bitter Heathrow dispute are set to resume today, despite the negotiations ending acrimoniously last night. However, putting a dampener on the process, Gate Gourmet's Chairman has repeated that the company will not reinstate all of the sacked workers - one of the main demands of the union.
A meeting between BA's caterer, Gate Gourmet, and the Transport and General Workers' Union (T&G), over the sacking of 670 workers ended in confusion and anger at 18:00 last night. Initially it appeared that they had broken down, but later Gate Gourmet's Chairman, David Siegel, said the firm was merely taking a 'time out'.
A spokesman for the T&G later confirmed that the talks would continue today. Siegel added he was continuing to study 'compromise proposals' from the T&G, and that enough progress had been made to lift the imminent threat of the Heathrow airport company going into administration, threatening 1400 jobs.
Gate Gourmet said it's UK business faces financial meltdown if it does not agree a new contract to supply food to British Airways (BA), its biggest customer. But BA have said that any new deal depends on Gate Gourmet patching up its differences with the union.
Although the talks between Gate Gourmet and the T&G are set to continue, Siegel has repeated that Gate Gourmet will not reinstate all of the 670 sacked workers, one of the main requirements of the union.
Siegel made it clear that workers who allegedly incited and instigated unofficial industrial action two weeks ago - believed to be at least 37 union shop stewards - would not get their jobs back. It must be interesting trying to negotiate with the T&G, when it is their shop stewards you are refusing to reinstate.
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