Newspaper says Heathrow airport to be the next Wapping
19.09.05
An article in 'The Business' newspaper claims that Heathrow airport is set to be 'the new Wapping'. The newspaper claims labour relations experts predict that Heathrow will turn into the new Wapping, the east London printing plant which became a battleground between newspaper owners and unions for the control of the industry.
Heathrow airport has been the scene of 3 bitter strikes in as many years. While each dispute has happened for a different reason, 'militant elements' amongst the airports workforce have been blamed for each of them.
The most recent turmoil for Heathrow came last month, when 667 workers at Gate Gourmet (GG), British Airways catering supplier at the airport, were sacked for taking part in an unofficial strike. The sackings inflamed an already bitter dispute over pay and conditions and ended up grounding many flights at BA when some of its workers walked out for more than 24 hours in sympathy.
The dispute at the caterer has dragged on, with GG refusing to reinstate around 200 militant workers within the 667 it sacked. Talks between unions and caterer will continue this week.
BA, hit by industrial action 3 years in a row, has pledged to stamp out the troublemakers within its workforce too. Senior management have said that BA's will use its move to Terminal Five in just over 2 years as an opportunity to bring in new working practices.
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