Sky Chefs dispute is close to settlement

Airline caterer LSG Sky Chefs and the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU) are on the brink of a settlement after talking to the Arbitration and Conciliation Advisory Service (ACAS) to try to resolve the bitter dispute over 265 sacked workers who want to be reinstated.

Alan Green, TGWU regional co-ordinator, said he could not yet comment on the preliminary talks as negotiations were "at a delicate stage". He added: "We don't want to jeopardise anything that might be happening."

His argument was echoed by a spokesman for Sky Chefs, who said both sides had agreed to keep the exploratory discussions confidential at this point because "no one wants to do anything to upset the applecart."

However, both sides confirmed that further discussions involving ACAS were likely in the near future.

The TGWU has been picketing Sky Chefs' Heathrow kitchens since the sackings last November, which followed two one-day strikes over pay and new working conditions. It has also taken its grievances to the Government, to Germany and to the USA, and has exerted pressure on German airline Lufthansa, which holds a majority stake in Sky Chefs.

Complicating the issue of the sacked workers' demands is the fact that Sky Chefs has now taken on 270 new staff to replace them.