26/08/2005

Gate Gourmet and union talks end in deal

Talks between the troubled airline catering firm, Gate Gourmet, and unions aimed at resolving the ongoing industrial dispute have reached a preliminary deal.

The Transport & General Workers' Union (T&G) said that a "framework agreement on redundancies" had been reached on Thursday with the Heathrow airline catering company, which sacked 670 workers on August 10th this year.

The deal reached is understood to relate to all the workers for the company's operation and will see them offered the chance to take voluntary redundancy.

The union's chief negotiator Brendan Gold said: "After a constructive meeting, we have made initial progress towards resolving the problems with an outline of how to go forward that would apply to all workers."

Mr Gold added that further discussions are expected to take place with the company, but he said it was "very much a first step" and was not a final agreement.

However, the union and Gate Gourmet are locked in an ongoing battle in the High Court over injunctions brought against a number of what Gate Gourmet have branded militant troublemakers.

An extension to the injunction sought by Gate Gourmet was granted today.

Earlier, Mr Gold said that he hoped the dispute with Gate Gourmet would be resolved by "negotiation not litigation".

The airline catering company has warned that facing £25 million-a-year losses the UK operation could be placed in administration.

In the latest twist to the story, The Times today was reporting that BA had launched an investigation as a casual worker had been employed without proper background security checks being conducted.

(SP/MB)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

27 September 2005
Catering firm and union reach deal
In-flight catering firm Gate Gourmet and the Transport and General Workers Union have announced a provisional deal that looks likely to bring the long running dispute to an end. While no details have yet been released the deal will be put to staff on Wednesday.
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.
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.
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.
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.