Decision imminent on sacked Gate Gourmet staff's appeal

Solicitors for the Transport and General Workers' Union are expected to make a decision shortly whether to challenge a pre-Christmas ruling that 2005's Gate Gourmet strike was illegal.

The ruling last month from an employment tribunal in Reading threatens to derail attempted legal action from around 100 ex-Gate Gourmet Heathrow airport workers before it has begun, as it effectively bars them from pursuing their claims for unfair dismissal through the tribunal system.

Workers seeking to sue Gate Gourmet for compensation were among 667 sacked in August 2005 after a walkout at Heathrow airport sparked by a pay row.

The messy dispute made national headlines and caused travel chaos at Europe's busiest airport, hurting Gate Gourmet customer British Airways's profits.

Although a settlement was reached to end the dispute, around 140 former Gate Gourmet employees refused to accept it, with a 100 seeking recompense through tribunal system.

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By Kerstin Kühn

E-mail your comments to Kerstin Kühn](mailto:kerstin.kuhn@rbi.co.uk?subject=Decision imminent on sacked Gate Gourmet staff's appeal) here.

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