GMB union slammed for ‘scaremongering and lies’ emails to members, scaring them into signing up to “Back Heathrow”

The GMB Union has been criticised for ‘scaremongering’ its members by making alarmist and false claims on the likelihood of closure of Heathrow.  The GMB has emailed members insisting they sign up to the flailing “Back Heathrow Campaign”, which is funded by the airport, to try and drum up local support for a third runway. The GMB tell their members, in their email, that:  ”Without a third runway, Heathrow will close. No more jobs, prosperity and opportunity.” [Full text below]. The letter says:  “A number of very scary proposals are being tabled that could see the end of Heathrow as we know it.”  and ” House prices would plummet as people moved away. Worryingly, such a nightmare scenario could soon be on the cards.” In reality, Heathrow would not close, whatever the Airports Commission decides, and its closure is not a serious proposition. Aviation campaigner Alan Haughton said: “What the GMB Union have told members is reckless, unhelpful and could be seen as strong-arm bullying tactics to force them to sign up to the Back Heathrow Campaign.”

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OCT 2, 2013  (Stop City Airport blog)

GMB union slammed for Heathrow airport ‘scaremongering and lies’

The GMB Union was today slammed for ‘scaremongering’ members by making alarmist and false claims on the closure of Heathrow Airport.

The Union has emailed members insisting they sign up to the flailing Back Heathrow Campaign telling them that without a Third Runway, Heathrow Airport will close.  ”Without a third runway, Heathrow will close. No more jobs, prosperity and opportunity.” [Full text below]

Bar the Mayor of London Boris Johnson claiming that a Thames Estuary Airport could lead to the closure of Heathrow, there has never been a suggestion that the airport would close if the Davies Airports Commission choose one of the many other options currently being considered. GMB workers at Heathrow Airport are now being lead to believe that if the Commission chooses any other option besides the Third Runway, they will be out of a job.

There is no suggestion from any quarter, including Heathrow Airport itself, that the business would close if a Third Runway did not go ahead.

Aviation Campaigner Alan Haughton said

“What the GMB Union have told members is reckless, unhelpful and could be seen as strong-arm bullying tactics to force them to sign up to the Back Heathrow Campaign. Hard working GMB members are already anxious about pay freezes, the cost of living and providing for their families. They do not need false and misleading claims that will lose their jobs if Heathrow does not expand.I would ask the GMB to withdraw these falsehoods to put workers minds at rest”

http://stopcityairportmasterplan.tumblr.com/post/62895697121/press-release-gmb-union-slammed-for-heathrow-airport

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GMB Ask Members To Back Heathrow

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

GMB Calls On Members In West London And Thames Valley To Support Heathrow Airport For Jobs And Prosperity

Boris Johnson’s plans for Thames Estuary airport may seem like pie in the sky but the threat is very real and if he gets his way Heathrow will close and without a third runway Heathrow will close says GMB

GMB, the union for airport workers, is writing to all GMB members in boroughs surrounding Heathrow Airport calling on them to support the Back Heathrow campaign, which brings together businesses, trade unions and local people to defend the jobs that rely on the airport and to fight for its secure future. See notes to editors for copy of the letter.

Gary Pearce and Stephanie Attwood, GMB organizers who look after GMB members at Heathrow, say in the letter “Heathrow brings jobs, prosperity and opportunity to thousands of people just like you and has a massive economic knock-on effect into local communities. For so many of us, it’s the economic heartbeat of life in this part of the world. Over 76,000 people are employed directly at Heathrow, and another 38,000 local jobs rely on it.

London Mayor Boris Johnson wants to see a new hugely expensive airport hub in the Thames Estuary, something that would kill off Heathrow. He has said that shutting Heathrow completely would provide a “fantastic opportunity for London” to develop a garden city or new royal borough. Well, we at GMB don’t know what’s fantastic about 114,000 jobs being lost if Heathrow shuts down.

It’s almost impossible to think what life would be like in huge areas around the west of London if Heathrow was to shut. The impact would be horrendous and the number of jobs lost would dwarf anything else seen before in the UK. House prices would plummet as people moved away. Worryingly, such a nightmare scenario could soon be on the cards.

Heathrow is currently operating at 98% capacity. Without a third runway, Heathrow would fall into decline and, in a short space of time, face closure. This is worrying stuff.

We will not stand idly by and watch Heathrow shut down. Boris Johnson’s plans may seem like pie in the sky stuff but the threat is very real. If he gets his way, Heathrow will close. Without a third runway, Heathrow will close. No more jobs, prosperity and opportunity.

End

http://www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/gmb-ask-members-to-back-heathrow

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Copy of letter to GMB members:

“Dear Member, Back Heathrow – Now!

I want to let you know about a very real threat to all of the jobs, prosperity and opportunities at Heathrow. This threat is why the GMB is supporting the Back Heathrow campaign, which is bringing together businesses, trade unions and local people to defend the jobs that rely on the airport and to fight for its secure future.

The GMB knows just how important Heathrow Airport is to you and your family. It brings jobs, prosperity and opportunity to thousands of people just like you and has a massive economic knock-on effect into local communities. For so many of us, it’s the economic heartbeat of life in this part of the world. Over 76,000 people are employed directly at Heathrow, and another 38,000 local jobs rely on it.

The Government has set up an Airports Commission – also called the Davies Commission – which will be tackling the issue of hub airports, airport capacity and possible expansion. A number of very scary proposals are being tabled that could see the end of Heathrow as we know it.

For instance, London Mayor Boris Johnson wants to see a new hugely expensive airport hub in the Thames Estuary, something that would kill off Heathrow. He has said that shutting Heathrow completely would provide a “fantastic opportunity for London” to develop a garden city or new royal borough. Well, we at GMB don’t know what’s fantastic about 114,000 jobs being lost if Heathrow shuts down.

The Leader of Hillingdon Council, Councillor Ray Puddifoot, has said that “the threat of closure would in the longer term be of a benefit to Hillingdon residents”.  Lord True, Leader of Richmond Council, has said about Heathrow: “It is not an adequate or a safe site for a massive airport. The Government should stop fudging till 2015, rule out this not-fit-for-purpose site and get on with delivering an expansion in a better site.”

It’s almost impossible to think what life would be like in huge areas around the west of London if Heathrow was to shut. The impact would be horrendous and the number of jobs lost would dwarf anything else seen before in the UK. House prices would plummet as people moved away. Worryingly, such a nightmare scenario could soon be on the cards.

Heathrow is currently operating at 98% capacity. It’s effectively full. Without expansion, Heathrow would cease to be the hub of international travel, as airlines that serve the thriving economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China would be forced to move away, perhaps to the hubs at Amsterdam or Paris. Without the ability to seamlessly connect, transatlantic carriers would soon abandon Heathrow. Without a third runway, Heathrow would fall into decline and, in a short space of time, face closure. This is worrying stuff.

To keep our jobs safe, and to make sure there can be prosperity and opportunities for today’s and future generations, there is only one option – to build a third runway at Heathrow. Unless this takes place the future for the airport will be very bleak indeed.

GMB is up for this fight and we need you to help by showing your support for Heathrow. It’s really simple, all you have to do is to go to the Back Heathrow website –www.backheathrow.org – and complete their survey. It’ll only take a few minutes. You can pledge your support for Heathrow there too.

And then once you have done this, please email your friends, family and colleagues and ask them to complete the survey and to pledge their support for Back Heathrow too.

We will not stand idly by and watch Heathrow shut down. Boris Johnson’s plans may seem like pie in the sky stuff but the threat is very real. If he gets his way, Heathrow will close. Without a third runway, Heathrow will close. No more jobs, prosperity and opportunity.

Let’s make sure this nightmare doesn’t become reality and Back Heathrow – Now!

Yours sincerely,

Gary Pearce                                                   Stephanie Attwood

GMB Organiser                                              GMB Organiser

PS  Once you have completed the survey at www.backheathrow.org please ask your friends, family and colleagues to fill it in as well.”

Copy of letter to GMB members

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The campaign calls itself “the grassroots campaign” !

http://www.backheathrow.org/

It has a survey on the website, which is intended to demonstrate a lot of local support for expansion. But like so many surveys, set up to try to prove a particular point of view, it is worded in a very biased manner.  It is not possible to fill in the survey from a point of view of not wanting Heathrow expansion. Therefore, when its results are published and used as “proof” of a high level of support, this should be viewed with considerable scepticism. The way in which the survey is constructed cannot accurately give that proof – as it is poorly constructed.

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Earlier:

 

Blog: Heathrow lost the 3rd runway battle last time – will its new approach succeed?

Date added: September 13, 2013

In a blog, Chair of Hacan, John Stewart, writes about the announcement that Heathrow is prepared to fund residents groups which support a third Heathrow runway, in a campaign called “Back Heathrow”. MPs and councillors from the wider Heathrow area have had letters and half a million newsletters will be sent to homes in West London, by Back Heathrow. In his blog, John looks at how successful this campaign could be, bearing in mind just how fierce the opposition is due to aircraft noise. Heathrow knows it has an uphill struggle to persuade politicians that a third runway in west London would not be political suicide. Presumably this is why it has launched “Back Heathrow” so early – at least two years before any decision is taken. It needs time to try to change the political climate. Nobody seriously believes that with 50% more planes over London, it is going to get quieter. This time round, it is Heathrow, not the campaign groups, that has the mountain to climb in terms of persuading the people and the politicians. It is now Heathrow that is trying to achieve victory against all the odds.    Click here to view full story…

 

“Back Heathrow” campaign formed, by the airport, to demonstrate – and boost – local support for a 3rd runway

Date added: September 12, 2013

“Back Heathrow” is a lobby group that has recently been formed, by supporters of a third Heathrow runway. Its aim is to get people who favour Heathrow expansion to declare their support, and “give a voice to the hundreds of thousands of residents who support Heathrow.” It has been set up with funding from the airport, and 400,000 local tabloid-style propaganda newspapers have been delivered to local communities surrounding the airport. The text of the paper is shown below. It pushes the scaremongering idea that there is a risk of Heathrow shutting down, causing the loss of “114,000 jobs” and that “200 of the UK’s biggest companies may move from Heathrow.” In reality, there is little prospect of Heathrow closing – and this is just a tactic to get publicity and worry people. Back Heathrow have written to local councillors, giving them the misleading impressing that it is a “new community campaign”. It isn’t. It is organised by the industry, not by the community. Hacan said the formation of “Back Heathrow” was “the actions of a desperate organisation, not confident of the arguments it is making.”   Click here to view full story…

 

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