A wildcat walkout at Gate Gourmet 15 days ago sparked the jobs row

Chairman David Siegel insisted the business would fail if he reinstated everyone, reports BBC labour affairs correspondent Stephen Cape.

But unions dismissed Mr Siegel's claims that a number of the axed employees were "troublemakers".

Gate Gourmet sacked hundreds of staff after a dispute over working practices, prompting a wildcat walkout.

The action later prompted BA ground staff to stage a sympathy walkout.

All 2,000 Gate Gourmet staff at Heathrow have been offered a voluntary redundancy package, in a bid to cut the workforce.

Speaking from his office in the US, Mr Siegel told our correspondent that there were about 50-100 "hardcore militants" who had for a long time blocked change at the company, and a further 100 who were regarded as disruptive.

'More than generous'

The company has always maintained that the 200 or so workers it dubbed "troublemakers" would never be allowed to return.

Mr Siegel's comments, at a time when serious efforts are being made to resolve the dispute, are most unhelpful and not in good faith T&G union

Mr Siegel said he would prefer not to reinstate any of the sacked employees, but in an effort to reach a deal with the Transport and General Workers' Union (T&G) he would take back up to 400, added Stephen Cape.

Meanwhile, Mr Siegel told the Independent newspaper Gate Gourmet would decide which people are chosen for redundancy from the existing 1,400 workforce and which would be allowed to return to work from the sacked 670.

He added the firm was being "more than generous" in offering a solution that would move the situation on.

The Transport and General Workers Union said it hoped individuals would not be targeted for union activity.

Talks

In a separate interview with the Daily Telegraph, Mr Siegel said a "hardline, hardcore minority" of a couple of hundred employees had control over the workforce and company and were leading it to "death's doorstep".

The T&G said claims there were 200 "troublemakers" was "absurd".

"Mr Siegel's comments, at a time when serious efforts are being made to resolve the dispute, are most unhelpful and not in good faith," a T&G spokesperson added.

On Sunday, Gate Gourmet released details of the voluntary redundancy package it is offering, with two weeks' wages for every full year they had been employed at the company.

Gate Gourmet says it needs to cut staffing levels to help return to profitability.

Talks between the company and the union are expected to restart early next week, once it is known how many workers have accepted the redundancy offer.

The dispute broke out on 10 August when Gate Gourmet sacked staff for illegally walking out in protest at restructuring plans.

BA ground staff then walked out in sympathy for two days, forcing the airline to shut down operations at Heathrow airport.

Gate Gourmet, which says it is losing �25m a year, has warned its UK venture could go into administration unless BA, its main British customer, signs a new deal.

That contract - reported to involve a two-year extension to the current contract at a better price - was struck last week, but is dependent on labour issues being resolved.