It dominates the news. BA flights from Heathrow grounded.
I always have a mixed reaction to news of this sort. My first reaction is, always, "I'm glad I'm not affected."
In fairness to BBC News24, they seem to have made a concerted effort to examine different aspects of the story. I didn't bother looking at Sky Newslite - there's a limit to the amount of lies, speculation and distortion a girl can take. And as for ITN, well, I keep forgetting that they also produce the rather good Channel 4 News. 7pm has never seemed the right time to watch TV news. Well, not since I got a computer, anyway.
There is a pattern in reporting airline disruptions, which always seems to feature voxpops from the most aggressive, arrogant, obnoxious, ignorant sort of Smug Middle-England Selfmade Businessman, and, true to form, he surfaced last night on BBC News 24 "Sack the lot of them, I say."
A mass gathering of the staff of Gate Gourmet at the factory gate, as they were being sacked by barely distinguishable megaphone announcement. Including those who were on Annual or Sick Leave. The panning shot of the crowd of workers showed them to be (almost?) exclusively Asian. I can see the reactions in Middle England now - "Bloody...". Need I spell it out? Presumably because an Asian, predominantly female workforce is prepared to work for lower wages than white men will accept in the Boom City that is Heathrow.
And the Baggage Handlers came out in support. My reaction "Cool!" Yes, I know, it's illegal, secondary, wildcat action. But I'm an Old Leftie.
Is it BA's fault? It's certainly BA's problem. Apparently Gate Gourmet lost £25 million last year. What that actually means I don't know. One year's loss (or profit) is a meaningless statistic. On turnover of what? Against assets and reserves of what? Before or after Special Items? A decision was made to cut labour costs. A rational business decision. I assume that GG are tied into a 3-year or 5-year contract with BA, Cathay Pacific and the other airlines. So they can't move on price.
But as far as I can see, the workforce is Unionised, which is a Good Thing. For far too long, sweatshops staffed by BME Women have been ignored by the Trade Unions. The Union Rep interviewed on the TV was intelligent and clever - rather than droning on with all sorts of trotskyite slogans he stated that the staff had been sacked, at the factory gate, by an announcement; that most people didn't know what was happening. Gate Gourmet say they have written to the staff, telling them of their sackings. I wonder to where the letters were sent - their home addresses? Or to the factory, from which they were locked out?
It's a game of Cat-and-Mouse: workers stage an unofficial strike, management sack them. There's no shortage of lowpaid menial work round the Heathrow area; if Gate Gourmet want a cheap non-unionised labour force to exploit they'll have to employ Eastern Europeans. Not from the new EU member states, you must be joking, they won't take those wages. From the non-member states.
What a stroke of genius the baggage handlers coming out! Big-up to the T&G. Now the customers are demanding that this is resolved pronto. It is going to force Gate Gourmet to the negotiation table.
United we Stand, Divided we Fall. There is such a thing as Society.
Of course, if I were flying today, I would be ranty and sweary. After all, we want our flights cheap, regardless of how that cheapness is achieved.
I don't see the need for catering on Domestic and Shorthaul Flights. But if I were flying Long Haul, the idea of a £30 voucher to spend at Burger King would leave me even more ranty and sweary.
