Campaign group unearths figures which cast doubt on Heathrow’s 3rd Runway jobs claims
Press Release
2 October 2016
for immediate use
Campaign group unearths figures which cast doubt on Heathrow’s 3rd Runway jobs claims
A local group has unearthed figures which throw into question the claims Heathrow Airport is making about the number of jobs a third runway will create. Stop Heathrow Expansion (1), which represents people in the Heathrow villages, some of whom work at the airport, has released information which reveals that Heathrow are hiding behind a wall of secrecy over exactly how many jobs Terminal Five, the last major development at the airport, actually created.
The report of the public inquiry inspector which gave the green light to the 5th terminal concluded that by 2016 the terminal would provide an additional 16,000 on-airport jobs. Heathrow has told the campaign group that it cannot confirm the actual number of jobs which have been created because “finding out would be a substantial piece of work in its own right.”
At the Conservative Party Conference which starts today in Birmingham, Heathrow released details of its “Brexit Boost Plan”, which it argues will create tens of thousands of new jobs across the UK if permission for a third runway is granted. Yet these unearthed figures by Stop Heathrow Expansion suggest Heathrow’s predictions are to be treated with extreme caution.
Robert Barnstone, Campaign Co-Ordinator of Stop Heathrow Expansion, said: “Heathrow’s refusal to say how many jobs were created at Terminal Five shows that serious questions need to be asked about the employment claims they are making in relation to the third runway.”
This comes just months after it emerged Heathrow aimed to have a third of its employees on salary packages about 30% lower than the existing terms and condition by the end of 2018 (2).
ENDS
Notes for Editors:
(1) Stop Heathrow Expansion gives a voice to the people in the five Heathrow villages that would be most impacted by a third runway. If the third runway went ahead almost 4,000 homes would be rendered unliveable. A number of the residents work at the airport.
(2) https://www.ft.com/content/327541f4-7d6d-11e5-a1fe-567b37f80b64
For further information: Robert Barnstone on 07806947050