Nearly a year on and social distancing is still a problem at both departures and arrivals halls at Heathrow
GMB reps and members working at Heathrow Airport have provided photographic evidence of just how bad the lack of social distancing enforcement is adding to their grave concerns and fear of contracting Coronavirus.
GMB London, the union for workers in the aviation industry, stunned by the scenes the photographs have captured, is calling on Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) and all airport contractors to instigate urgent enforcement of social distancing and Covid safe practices for the safety of all workers and passengers employed at or using the airport.
From 1pm, Friday 5th February UAE, Rwanda and Burundi will be added to the government's list of high risks destinations, banning travel to the UK from these destinations. This seems to have prompted a rush for flights to and from these countries that HAL should have prepared for.
Photographs of the departures and arrivals halls of T5, show lines of passengers not adhering to social distancing rules and often without face coverings. Staff asking for cooperation to adhere to the rules are more than often ignored.
A GMB London Region member working at Terminal 5, Heathrow said:
“Staff are too close to passengers. We ask passengers to stand back but no one listens.”
Perry Phillips, GMB London Regional Organiser at Heathrow said:
“It is with great concern that we see our members and their colleagues working at Heathrow being exposed to such careless and irresponsible behaviour when the catastrophic results of the pandemic and the new dangerous variant of the virus are with us all every day.
“This cannot be allowed to continue, HAL has a responsibility to those employed at and using the airport. Many of our members have lost colleagues to Covid, HAL must do all it can to protect these workers who turn up for work each day acutely aware of the risks posed when working in such environments during the pandemic.
“GMB London Region will expose employers not taking responsibility for its duty of care towards its employees. Health and safety of employees must be a priority in all workplaces at all times, but during the pandemic it is vital if we are to curtail the spread of the virus and the numbers of daily fatalities”.
GMB London Region is calling on HAL and contract employers of direct and non-direct roles at Heathrow to act now to save lives. Risk assessments must take place and updated especially with the new variant strain of the coronavirus, as a matter of priority and outcomes dealt with appropriately. Enforcement is happening elsewhere, including other workplaces, and enforcement at airports, given the risks in this environment, must happen at Heathrow and other airports also experiencing a lack of enforcement of social distancing and Covid safety measures.
End
Contact: Perry Phillips, GMB London Regional Organiser at Heathrow 0791 229 3481
Editors notes
GMB press release 4th May 2020
