Sky Chefs dispute reaches industrial tribunal

A lengthy industrial tribunal has opened into the sackings of 273 catering workers.

The staff, who worked in the Heathrow kitchens of airline caterer LSG Sky Chefs, are claiming unfair dismissal against the company.

They were sacked in November 1998 after taking strike action in protest over new working conditions.

The first hearing, at the South London Industrial Tribunal offices in Croydon, ran for seven days. It has been adjourned until 28 February, when it will continue for five days.

The hearing is then expected to be adjourned again and will not reopen until the end of June, when it is scheduled to run for 17 days.

Alan Green, regional organiser of the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU), said the union was continuing to hold negotiations with the management of Sky Chefs.

He is hopeful that an agreement will be reached soon.

Green said: "We might be on the verge of getting a negotiated settlement.

"It has to be a mixture of people getting their jobs back and financial compensation."

But Sky Chefs has ruled out such a possibility.