German Gate Gourmet strike goes into third month

A strike at the German subsidiary of the US-owned airline catering company Gate Gourmet entered its third month as Labour Research went to press.

Following the pattern of the dispute that hit the company's UK subsidiary at Heathrow airport earlier this year, management has rejected a compromise deal.

The company's 83 employees at Düsseldorf airport have been on strike since early October. Backed by the NGG food and catering union, they took action against company plans to cut holidays, increase working time and reduce shift premia.

An agreement seemed close at the beginning of December when the company initially accepted a proposal from an independent arbitrator.

This would have produced a 2% pay increase and the withdrawal of the plans to cut holidays. In return new staff would be employed on lower rates than existing employees and the premia for working on Sundays and on public holidays would be cut.

However, on 8 December the US-owned company withdrew its support for the deal and the strike continues. "We can't understand the behaviour of Gate Gourmet ... it is deeply irresponsible", said NGG official Dieter Schormann.

Further information from and donations to NGG, Wiesenstrasse 70 A/1 40549 Düsseldorf, Gemany; e-mail: [email protected]