Mirror.co.uk - News - EXCLUSIVE: ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU SICK

Mirror.co.uk - News - EXCLUSIVE: ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU SICK: "THE airline catering boss who crippled Heathrow by sacking 800 staff launched a new firm EIGHT MONTHS ago to hire cheap replacement labour.
Millionaire Eric Born, of Gate Gourmet UK, admitted yesterday that Versa Logistics was set up to counter the threat of wildcat strikes and that staff were recruited on lower wages than the fired workers.
Mr Born, 34, is the sole director of Versa Logistics. His spokesman Mark Lunn said: "Versa was set up early this year due to the imminent threat of strike action.


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"It was important we had a contingency plan if something went wrong, and sensible to have a company in place that can bring in staff when necessary.


"Eastern European people are happy to work for less money. They are fully trained and fully capable. All temporary workers are paid less than permanent staff."


Sarijit Singh Sandu, a T&G shop steward at Gourmet, said: "Born set up this company months ago to recruit cheaper workers. This was all planned. They've just thrown us out and brought in cheap labour.


"It's outrageous. Gate Gourmet claimed they wanted to pay us redundancy, yet this happens." BA admitted it knew of the "contingency arrangements".


It was also claimed that Gate Gourmet brought in two management axemen with the goal of reducing working conditions.


Gate Gourmet General Manager Hans Boesch was the mastermind behind cutbacks at Frankfurt airport, persuading staff to work longer hours while taking pay cuts.


He was joined by Worldwide Chief Executive Officer David Segal who has fought unions in Texas.


The firm said: "This company is in dire straits and they have strong experience at saving money.


"But they are not here to sack people. We only sacked our staff because they refused to work. We were left with no alternative."


Gate Gourmet UK, part of a Swiss parent company owned by US investment giant Texas Pacific, lost £22million last year.


The caterers sacked up to 800 workers at the peak of the holiday season on Wednesday after an unofficial stoppage over the employment of 130 casual staff.


Yesterday as 500 staff staged an angry protest, TGWU officials were desperately trying to persuade the company to reinstate the sacked workers on their previous conditions.


The two parties met at a neutral venue at Heathrow Airport. Discussions were expected to go on for several hours.


The talks came as it emerged that hundreds of staff received letters from Gourmet warning them their final pay packets will be cut and announcing they could not appeal against their dismissal.


Part of the letter said: "You will not be paid for the day of the strike.


"We are currently reviewing whether we will make deductions from your final salary to pay for the penalties that the company has incurred as a result of disruption."


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