Two trade union bosses have called on the government to press ahead with Heathrow Airport’s third runway, warning that further delays risk missing a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to drive UK economic growth and create thousands of construction jobs.
In a joint letter to ministers, GMB London regional secretary Warren Kenny and the Community Trade Union’s assistant general secretary Alasdair McDiarmid said the project could “kickstart growth” by revitalising supply chains, supporting apprenticeships, and connecting communities across the UK to international markets.
The leaders, who said they represent tens of thousands of construction workers, argued that the £14bn project would deliver a major boost to investment in regional economies through the use of offsite logistics hubs and modern methods of construction.
They claimed the scheme would require tens of thousands of skilled workers during the construction phase, including groundworkers, engineers, steelworkers and electricians.
The letter, sent ahead of the release of detailed expansion plans next week, warned that the UK’s infrastructure delivery record has been hampered by planning delays and political indecision, citing Heathrow as the “symbol” of those failures over the past decade.
The union bosses said they had been in discussions with Heathrow for more than 10 years over the employment benefits of the scheme and pledged to continue engaging with the airport on its proposals to ensure the plans deliver for workers across the sector.
They concluded by calling on ministers to “show the confidence to move forward at pace” and enable the benefits of the project to begin “as soon as possible”.
Earlier this year, chancellor Rachel Reeves said that the government supports a third runway at Heathrow and invited proposals to be brought forward by the summer.
She said: “We will then take forward a full assessment through the Airport National Policy Statement. This will ensure that the project is value for money, and our clear expectation is that any associated surface transport costs will be financed through private funding.
“And it will ensure that a third runway is delivered in line with our legal environmental and climate objectives.”
