Employees at Heathrow have been issued with ‘free-post’ postcards to mail to their local councillors urging them to support the expansion of Heathrow. The move has been exposed by anti-expansion campaign group HACAN ClearSkies after it was contacted by employees who were furious at being given the postcards
The blue cards, entitled “Future Heathrow – supporting sustainable growth” (1), have been issued by IATA (the International Air Transport Association). HACAN ClearSkies revealed that British Airways has close connections with IATA. BA’s new Chief Executive, Willie Walsh, sits on its Board of Governors.
One employee told HACAN ClearSkies (2), “Many of us are spitting mad that we have been given these postcards. We are furious that the aviation industry is spending money on them when they should be investing their time and money on quieter and cleaner planes — that is the real way to guarantee a good future for the industry and the people who work in it.”
HACAN ClearSkies Chair John Stewart said, “Employees are right to be upset about these postcards. You can’t help feeling that the aviation industry is trying to use its employees. Further expansion at Heathrow will certainly increase the profits of the industry. Whether it is necessary to prevent redundancies at the airport is much more doubtful.
ENDS
(1). Text of postcard below
(2). All the employees have expressed the desire to remain anonymous.
For more information:
John Stewart on 020 7737 6641 or 07957385650
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The cards read:
Future Heathrow
IATA
Central House
Lampton Road
HOUNSLOW
TW3 1HY
Dear Councillor,
I know that some of your constituents complain about noise and pollution from Heathrow. I accept that is a problem and it affects me as much as other residents but please think of the jobs and prosperity that will go if Heathrow does not continue to be a success.
There are many thousands of us who work at Heathrow or have friends and relatives whose jobs depend on the Airport.
The Government has said that Heathrow can only have a third runway if it meets stringent noise and pollution controls. I accept that and I hope that others will too. In listening to these arguments I ask you to remember that my job depends on Heathrow’s success, which in turn depends on Heathrow being allowed to grow.
If Heathrow is not allowed to grow, it will slip from being Europe’s second largest airport in terms of number of destinations served in 1990 to Europe’s eight largest airport in 2010, causing thousands of British jobs to be exported overseas.
Heathrow can either expand or decline. It cannot stay as it is.
The decline of Heathrow would be very damaging for employment and the local economy and as one of the key decision makers I would ask to take this into account when deciding your policy towards the Airport.
Yours faithfully,
[Box for Name:]
[Box for Company:]
[Box for Ward/Borough:]
[Box for Address/Post Code:]