British Airways, Gate Gourmet and The Rolling Stones

Gate Gourmet? It's not just in London that the airline catering company is having disputes with its poorly paid staff. In the US, Gate Gourmet unilaterally changed the company's health care plan, drastically raising the workers' costs on July 1, 2005. These changes forced the majority of workers on the health care plan to drop coverage. However, as the result of Teamster and Unite Here members' actions those health care provisions will be restored on 1 September. More details here.
In London, Gate Gourmet sacked by megaphone more than 600 poorly paid (mostly Asian) workers. Many of those workers had family or friends who are British Airways baggage handlers or other ground staff. When someone kicks you, you kick back. Hence, the BA unofficial wildcat strike.
Oh, BA used to do their own catering in house at Heathrow until 1997. They then sold their catering operation to Gate Gourmet.
Gate Gourmet is owned by private equity investment firm Texas Pacific Group, based in Fort Worth, Texas. A founding partner of the group, David Bonderman, held his 60th birthday party at the Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on 16 November 2002. Music for the party ? The Rolling Stones. It was an expensive party. To see what we missed, play list and more details here.