On the Picket Line

Quebec workers fight Gate Gourmet’s union-busting lockout

By John Steele
Vol. 85/No. 2
January 18, 2021
Airline catering workers organized by Unifor Local 698 protest eight-week lockout by Gate Gourmet at airport in Montreal Dec. 31. Placard on right says, “If we are on the outside, something is wrong on the inside.” One on left says, “You don’t get rich on our earnings.”
Militant/John SteeleAirline catering workers organized by Unifor Local 698 protest eight-week lockout by Gate Gourmet at airport in Montreal Dec. 31. Placard on right says, “If we are on the outside, something is wrong on the inside.” One on left says, “You don’t get rich on our earnings.”

MONTREAL — After almost eight weeks on the picket line, locked-out Gate Gourmet workers here organized a march from their picket line in front of the airline-catering plant where they work to the Montreal-Trudeau international airport Dec. 31. Chanting “So, so, so, solidarity!” 30 workers marched with union flags protesting the bosses locking them out and moves to gut their contract.

“After eight weeks on lockout we are solid. We are fighting to keep what we have won over the course of 40 years,” Nathalie Calbral, Gate Gourmet unit president of Unifor amalgamated Local 698, told this Militant worker-correspondent on the line earlier that week. Calbral, with 23 years on the job, works preparing airline meals.

There are about 300 workers in the bargaining unit, but at the time of the lockout only about 20 were working. The rest had been laid off, the bosses’ reaction to the impact of coronavirus on the airlines and the company’s loss of contracts.

During their lunch break Nov. 10 the workers were ordered to gather their belongings and leave. Earlier, the bosses demanded 145 contract concessions, including a five-year wage freeze and reducing all positions to part time.

Solidarity messages can be sent to Marie-Andrée L’Heureux, Unifor Quebec communications representative at marie-andree.lheureux@unifor.org. Tel: (514) 916-7373.