The Gulf Air Trade Union (GATU) is staging a one-hour sit-in during the lunch break today outside the company's main gate, opposite the Bahrain International Airport, Muharraq. It represents 1,400 staff out of 5,000 employed by Gulf Air, who it hopes would back demands to include better timings and fair treatment of staff with regard to salary, recruitment and termination.

Initial reports had suggested that protest would be in the form of a fully-fledged strike. However, GATU chairman Mustafa Al Tooq yesterday clarified that the union was actually planning a sit-in.

He said that this would not contravene union laws requiring it to ballot members before a strike.

Mr Al Tooq said that the union had already informed Gulf Air that they were not planning a strike.

However, Gulf Air yesterday said it was awaiting official clarification from union.

The union maintains that although Gulf Air had announced it had frozen recruitment and salaries because it was making loses, it was still selectively hiring and increasing pay for senior management.