Heathrow Expansion ‘Good News’ For Scotland
Heathrow Expansion ‘Good News’ For Scotland - GMB Urges Industry And Politicians Not To Waste ‘Once-In-A-Generation’ Opportunity
GMB Scotland has today (Tuesday 5 June) said the decision by UK Government Ministers to approve Heathrow Airport expansion is ‘good news’ for jobs and prosperity across the Scottish economy.
GMB, which has campaigned for Heathrow expansion over the last two decades, also urged the civil aviation industry not to waste a ‘once-in-a-generation’ opportunity to grow employment in airports like Glasgow, which currently employs 4,500 staff and generates over £150 million a year for the regional economy.
A Memorandum of Understanding between the Scottish Government and Heathrow Airport in October 2016 on the airport’s expansion committed to the creation of 16,000 jobs in Scotland, with a £200 million share of construction work and £10 million of investment in new domestic routes.
GMB Scotland Senior Organiser Louise Gilmour said: “Heathrow’s expansion is about far more than the status of the airport as Britain’s global hub. The bigger prize is the significant multiplier effect of this expansion which should mean jobs and growth for Scotland.
The increased capacity of a third runway should mean more domestic flights, greater connectivity and significant opportunities for our civil aviation sector and the supply chains to develop on their existing operations and compete for new infrastructure contracts.
For staff directly employed in the sector, Heathrow expansion should mean sustaining and growing jobs in services like ground and cargo handling and aircraft maintenance and repair; defending jobs, wages and communities from Renfrewshire to the Highlands.
Make no mistake, this is a ‘once-in-a-generation’ opportunity to boost our economy and we cannot afford to waste it. We need everyone to pull together across industry, politics and the trade unions to take advantage of the benefits.
There is still some distance left to travel but today’s decision is good news for workers in the civil aviation sector, good news for prosperity in their communities and ultimately, good news for Scotland.”
Ends
Contact: Peter Welsh, GMB Scotland Communications, 07976 447077.
Notes to Editors:
- https://www.glasgowairport.com/media/1686/master-plan.pdf
- https://news.gov.scot/news/support-for-heathrow-expansion
