GMB call on Heathrow to pay London Living Wage following new dividend figures
GMB call on Heathrow to pay London Living Wage to all direct and contracted staff after latest figures show dividend pay out of up to £228 million
If you can pay £228 million to shareholders and your revenue has risen to £1.4 billion, you can implement the London Living Wage now, says GMB London
GMB, the union for staff at Heathrow Airport, have called on Heathrow Airport Holdings Ltd to ensure all direct and contracted staff are being paid the London Living Wage of £10.20 per hour, following the release of recent dividend figures. [See notes to editors for previous GMB press releases]
Heathrow Airport Holdings Ltd which runs operations at Heathrow Airport, which coped with 38.1 million passengers in the first six months of 2018, a first-half record, paid out a 21% increase in dividends to shareholders amounting to £228 million. Over the past five years dividend payments to shareholders have amounted to more than £1.5 billion.
A report in The Times has revealed that revenue at Heathrow Airport in the last six months has risen by 2.3% to £1.4 billion. Retail has risen by 5% to £206 million, bars and restaurants up 11.5%, and car parking up 7% to £62 million.
However, contracted staff such as those from Omniserv, OCS, ISS who deliver services such as wheel chair assistance, terminal cleaning and aircraft cleaning have failed to see any wage increase for over three years or any information on when the transition to the London Living Wage will take place.
Perry Phillips, GMB Regional Officer for Aviation at Heathrow said:
“It is an utter disgrace that Heathrow Holdings Ltd have paid out obscene dividends of up to £228 million to its shareholders whilst workers at the Airport are still being paid poverty wages.
“Terms and conditions of employment have worsened for many workers at the airport over the past ten years as a result of the ‘race to the bottom’ culture, low bidding tendering process that results in no room for wage increases.
“Heathrow terminal cleaners, aircraft cleaners and security workers have suffered low pay misery for many years as a result of the lack of ethical governance from Heathrow Ltd when it comes to giving contracts out at the airport.
“GMB Union London Region on behalf of low paid Heathrow workers are now saying ‘enough is enough’ if you can pay £228 million to shareholders and your revenue has risen to £1.4 billion, you can implement the London Living Wage now.”
ENDS
Contact: Perry Phillips 07912 293 481 or GMB London Press Office 07970 114 762
Notes to Editors
Previous GMB Press Releases
GMB welcome result of Commons vote as 3rd runway at Heathrow is backed by MPs (26 Jun 2018)
https://www.gmblondon.org.uk/news/gmb-welcome-result-of-third-runway-at-heathrow
GMB call on MPs to vote for Heathrow 3rd runway prior to parliamentary vote (25 Jun 2018)
https://www.gmblondon.org.uk/news/gmb-call-on-mps-to-vote-for-heathrow-third-runway
GMB send open letter to MPs to back third runway bid (11 May 2018)
https://www.gmblondon.org.uk/news/gmb-send-open-letter-to-mps-to-back-third-runway-bid
GMB welcome Parliament vote on 3rd Heathrow runway (23 March 2018)
https://www.gmblondon.org.uk/news/gmb-welcome-parliament-vote-on-3rd-heathrow-runway
GMB call on Heathrow Airport Holdings Ltd to stick to London Living Wage promises (26 Feb 2018)
GMB stress importance of getting on with third runway at Heathrow (17 January 2018)
https://www.gmblondon.org.uk/news/gmb-stress-importance-of-getting-on-with-third-runway-at-heathrow
GMB London call for consultation to be final round in go ahead for Heathrow 3rd runway (2 February 2017)
