Following Heathrow Airport’s submission of ‘shovel-ready’ plans for a third runway, trade union Unite has called on the UK government to move beyond verbal support and ensure construction starts without delay.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham welcomed the proposals and the government’s continued endorsement of the expansion but stressed that ministers must now “put their words into action.”
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:Unite welcomes Heathrow’s plans and is pleased that the government continues to support building a third runway. Now ministers must put their words into action and ensure that construction begins as quickly as possible.
A third runway must be about more than just improving infrastructure – it must provide real material benefits to the thousands of workers who will build and run it. That means ensuring that the jobs created are well-paid and unionised.
Heathrow’s commitment to using UK produced steel is also welcome and must not be watered down. All national infrastructure projects should be using UK steel - no ifs, no buts.
Graham also highlighted the opportunity for Heathrow’s expansion to align with broader industrial and environmental strategies, particularly in the aviation sector’s transition to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
She criticised the lack of plans to convert the Grangemouth refinery in Scotland to SAF production, describing it as “outrageous” given the potential to preserve jobs and strengthen the UK’s industrial base.
Graham added:As well as providing much needed support to our steel industry, the expansion at Heathrow must be accompanied by joined up thinking when it comes to the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) planes must soon start using.
Scotland’s Grangemouth refinery is ideally suited to transition to SAF production and it is frankly outrageous that there currently are no plans for this to happen when it would safeguard hundreds of jobs and bolster UK industry.
Heathrow’s proposed third runway remains one of the UK’s most high-profile and controversial infrastructure projects, with ongoing debate over its environmental and economic impacts.
