New Collective Agreement at Gate Gourmet D�sseldorf Ends 6-Month Strike

Posted to the IUF website 25-Apr-2006

Share this article.



After a 6-month-long strike at airline caterer Gate Gourmet at D�sseldorf airport, a settlement has been reached and was subsequently approved by a majority of striking workers in a ballot held on April 7.

The new collective agreement provides for 1% wage increases in 2006 and 2007 and an additional one-off payment each year. The agreement is valid up to the year 2009, during which time lay-offs are excluded. Concessions had to be made, but the NGG took care to ensure that, for the lower wage groups and the more onerous jobs, cuts were kept to a minimum or avoided.



April 7 marked 6 months since 80 Gate Gourmet workers went on strike for better wages and working conditions. While the settlement is not being touted as a victory, it is an acceptable result following a long struggle against a new kind of adversary: a private-equity firm - Gate Gourmet's parent company, Texas Pacific Group - demanding cuts in order to service its debt and ensure returns for its investors. Thanks to the extraordinary unity and determination of the striking workers, and their courage and perseverance, Texas Pacific's and Gate Gourmet's demand for a 10% cut in payroll was beaten.

On behalf of the workforce at Gate Gourmet D�sseldorf, the NGG thanks all who have supported them during this extraordinary struggle.