Unite’s pro-expansion stance denounced outside Heathrow Airport

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  07/02/2016

Unite’s pro-expansion stance denounced outside Heathrow Airport

Protestors speak out against Unite’s unsustainable policy, Unite Building Heathrow Airport, 07/02/2016

Unite has unthinkingly supported Heathrow’s expansion policy arguing that more jobs are better for the region. However the housing crisis means that there are already too few homes in this area. In 70 years the airport has failed to bring professional jobs to the Heathrow villages, with Hillingdon council’s statistics proving that the fewest professional jobs are found in the Heathrow villages. With deadly pollution problems and decades of threats from Heathrow Airport for people in the area, perhaps this protest will encourage Unite to rethink their already unpopular position.

           Unite’s regional secretary Peter Kavanagh has recently urged the government to expand Heathrow. This decision, if it went through, would cost thousands of local people their homes and jobs. If the union really cares about supporting workers, perhaps they should support the locals who will lose their livelihoods if the government gives the green light to this development. Clearly no jobs will be at risk if the airport does not expand. This banner drop was organised by concerned locals who simply mean to remind Unite of callous negligence to people threatened by this third runway, and hopefully encourage them to withdraw their support of the expansion.

Banner was dropped by anonymous local protesters, not part of any group. No contact details.

ENDS

214 words