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**Matt W** · Aug 11, 2005, 12:40 pm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4142408.stm

Quote:

British Airways has suspended all flights out of Heathrow after some staff walked out in support of sacked catering workers.
The sacked staff were not employed by BA, but for flight meals supply firm Gate Gourmet.

BA baggage handlers, loaders and bus drivers have walked out in sympathy with the catering workers.

Not good news for 'the worlds' favourite airline' - nor the worlds' busiest airport. Wonder how much money they're losing per minute?

Nono · Aug 11, 2005, 01:24 pm

Yeah, I've never been able to understand how any airline ever makes a profit, no matter how well things go. And today they're all big into "labour flexibility", which is jargon for More Work For Less Pay. (You know, if you're aircrew on these "low-cost" airlines you have to clean the plane between flights, a period growing increasingly short. When will we see the first crash due to crew worn out after picking up garbage.)

PS Gate Gourmet is a sweatshop well known in these parts. Good for the others for showing a bit of solidarity.

**Chris** · Aug 11, 2005, 08:29 pm

Quote:

Quote by: Matt W

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4142408.stm

Not good news for 'the worlds' favourite airline' - nor the worlds' busiest airport. Wonder how much money they're losing per minute?

No not good news at all.

Heathrow has the most International passengers of any airport in the world. (ever the nitpick) The airport with the most takeoffs and landings in the world is Chicago's Ohare. The Airport with the most passengers overall in the world is Atlanta's Hartsfield.

Nono · Aug 12, 2005, 06:23 am

Ohare is madness: seven runways (count 'em). Must be fun working the tower there.

RickSp · Aug 12, 2005, 08:33 am

Unbelievable. Not a BA labor dispute but a secondary labor dispute involving a caterer leading to a walk-out and a shut down. This sounds more French than British.

**Matt W** · Aug 12, 2005, 09:17 am

Same Trade Union, apparently - unsurprising, given that Gate Gourmet were sacking people by megaphone....I'd be very surprised if they keep their contract after this...

**Chris** · Aug 12, 2005, 10:04 am

So wait, Gate Gourmet are union? why are they getting sacked then?

That is sad.

Nono · Aug 12, 2005, 11:21 am

Quote:

Quote by: Rick

Unbelievable. Not a BA labor dispute but a secondary labor dispute involving a caterer leading to a walk-out and a shut down. This sounds more French than British.

Well, it's secondary only because companies like BA have been busily outsourcing to the lowest bidder, to the kind of outfit that, as Matt says, sacks people by megaphone; in this case Gate Gourmet.

I like the spirit that says "Fuck it, enough is enough."

RickSp · Aug 12, 2005, 11:37 am

Quote:

Quote by: Nono

Well, it's secondary only because companies like BA have been busily outsourcing to the lowest bidder, to the kind of outfit that, as Matt says, sacks people by megaphone; in this case Gate Gourmet.

I like the spirit that says "Fuck it, enough is enough."

I presume you were not a traveler stuck in the airport. This seems tactically incredibly stupid on the union's part. I have no doubt that certain companies may have behaved badly. Just doesn't seem very smart for the unions to respond in kind.

**Matt W** · Aug 12, 2005, 11:52 am

It wasn't union-motivated. Was wildcat. The TGWU have said they did not condone the secondary strikes in any way, but they appreciated their members had sympathy for the staff of Gate Gourmet, many of whom would've been ex-BA employees.

Whatever the reasons, external moderators have been brought in.

And this is the 3rd summer in a row BA has been hit by strikes - seems to be working quite happily for the unions, I'd say.

Nono · Aug 12, 2005, 12:00 pm

Quote:

Quote by: Rick

I presume you were not a traveler stuck in the airport.

Yeah I knew somebody would make a remark like that. (As it happens I'll crossing The Pond on Sunday and will be plenty pissed if I get held up, as people invariably are when Number One gets inconvenienced.)

Maybe you're right that it's tactically stupid, i.e. that it 'angers the public'.
But what would be tactically clever? What would win the public over? Nothing, of course, because worker bargaining power has been so whittled down that withdrawal of labour is about all that's left when it comes to making a point to Boss Hog.

**Chris** · Aug 12, 2005, 01:17 pm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...on/4145884.stm

BA staff 'returning to Heathrow'

BA staff who took part in an unofficial strike that has left thousands of passengers stranded at Heathrow are returning to work, the airline said.

About 1,000 ground staff walked out in sympathy with workers sacked by BA's in-flight meals supplier Gate Gourmet.

The action led to all BA flights out of Heathrow being cancelled until at least 2000 BST, and others diverted.

Milton Bradley · Aug 13, 2005, 03:32 am

Too bad the days of solidarity are gone in the US. You just don't see people sticking up for each other like this here anymore. Ironically, we are the ones that won Collective Bargaining from the giant, evil corporations. Just another term that has disappeared from the current media reports, along with terms like "free market", or "supply, and demand".

It seems that credit has virtually destroyed any chance of ones neighbors, or workmates standing by ones side these days, can't miss that boat payment, or loose that cabin by the lake.

Aug 11, 2005, 01:24 pm	#2 (permalink) (top)
Nono Throbbing Member Location: Old Europe Posts: 7,320	Yeah, I've never been able to understand how any airline ever makes a profit, no matter how well things go. And today they're all big into "labour flexibility", which is jargon for More Work For Less Pay. (You know, if you're aircrew on these "low-cost" airlines you have to clean the plane between flights, a period growing increasingly short. When will we see the first crash due to crew worn out after picking up garbage.) PS Gate Gourmet is a sweatshop well known in these parts. Good for the others for showing a bit of solidarity. "I wish I was as cocksure of anything as Tom Macaulay is of everything." -- Viscount Melbourne

Aug 12, 2005, 06:23 am	#4 (permalink) (top)
Nono Throbbing Member Location: Old Europe Posts: 7,320	Ohare is madness: seven runways (count 'em). Must be fun working the tower there. "I wish I was as cocksure of anything as Tom Macaulay is of everything." -- Viscount Melbourne

Aug 12, 2005, 08:33 am	#5 (permalink) (top)
RickSp Volcanic Erupter Posts: 9,589	Unbelievable. Not a BA labor dispute but a secondary labor dispute involving a caterer leading to a walk-out and a shut down. This sounds more French than British. Rick "When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." Sinclair Lewis

Aug 12, 2005, 09:17 am	#6 (permalink) (top)
Matt W Moderator Location: Reading, UK. Posts: 7,107	Same Trade Union, apparently - unsurprising, given that Gate Gourmet were sacking people by megaphone....I'd be very surprised if they keep their contract after this... I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered. -George Best, on being asked what he did with his footballing fortunes.

Aug 12, 2005, 10:04 am	#7 (permalink) (top)
Chris Gamma-ray burst Location: Nashville Posts: 6,376	So wait, Gate Gourmet are union? why are they getting sacked then? That is sad. I voted against the theocratic psychopaths Shared

Aug 12, 2005, 11:52 am	#10 (permalink) (top)
Matt W Moderator Location: Reading, UK. Posts: 7,107	It wasn't union-motivated. Was wildcat. The TGWU have said they did not condone the secondary strikes in any way, but they appreciated their members had sympathy for the staff of Gate Gourmet, many of whom would've been ex-BA employees. Whatever the reasons, external moderators have been brought in. And this is the 3rd summer in a row BA has been hit by strikes - seems to be working quite happily for the unions, I'd say. I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered. -George Best, on being asked what he did with his footballing fortunes.

Aug 12, 2005, 01:17 pm	#12 (permalink) (top)
Chris Gamma-ray burst Location: Nashville Posts: 6,376	http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...on/4145884.stm BA staff 'returning to Heathrow' BA staff who took part in an unofficial strike that has left thousands of passengers stranded at Heathrow are returning to work, the airline said. About 1,000 ground staff walked out in sympathy with workers sacked by BA's in-flight meals supplier Gate Gourmet. The action led to all BA flights out of Heathrow being cancelled until at least 2000 BST, and others diverted. I voted against the theocratic psychopaths Shared

Aug 13, 2005, 03:32 am	#13 (permalink) (top)
Milton Bradley BANNED Location: Ohio Province, Rep. of Comerica Posts: 7,320	Too bad the days of solidarity are gone in the US. You just don't see people sticking up for each other like this here anymore. Ironically, we are the ones that won Collective Bargaining from the giant, evil corporations. Just another term that has disappeared from the current media reports, along with terms like "free market", or "supply, and demand". It seems that credit has virtually destroyed any chance of ones neighbors, or workmates standing by ones side these days, can't miss that boat payment, or loose that cabin by the lake.