New strike threat for Gate Gourmet
13.01.08
Gate Gourmet, which brought British Airways to a standstill when staff went on strike during the summer of 2005, faces another summer of discontent following allegations that its employees at Bristol Airport were unfairly treated, the Independent reports.
Gate Gourmet won the contract to supply meals to easyJet's at Bristol Airport last year, taking over from rival Alpha Airports. Under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) laws, known as Tupe, the company was obliged to take on Alpha's existing staff producing easyJet's in-flight meals. However, six employees were not taken on and they have been fighting the company at an employment tribunal since November.
Their union, Unite (formerly the Transport and General Workers union), is understood to have told the company to 'mend its ways' or face a repeat of the turmoil two and a half years ago, when a strike by Gate Gourmet staff disrupted travel for tens of thousands of passengers attempting to board British Airways jets after BA staff came out in sympathy.
While a spokeswoman for the union said there were no current plans to ballot on any action, one person close to the situation told the newspaper that staff could take matters into their own hands if Gate Gourmet continued to find itself in employment tribunals.
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