ULEZ extension - Heathrow may once again face major ground staff shortages
GMB London backs call for Mayor to provide solution to the impact the ULEZ extension will have on Heathrow Airport workers who cannot afford this stealth tax.
Post-pandemic, the aviation industry struggled to meet the demands of the air-travelling public, who after emerging from the pandemic wanted to fly to holiday destinations or be reunited with loved ones. Many of them experienced flight cancellations and extensive delays due to ground-staff shortages.
The industry responded with recruitment campaigns to encourage workers back to jobs at Heathrow. But the ULEZ extension is set to threaten staff numbers as workers at Heathrow say they cannot afford the ULEZ charge or change to a ULEZ-compliant car.
Trevlyn McLeod, GMB London Region Organiser said:
“GMB has members paying £135 to park the car that got them to work and those who are dropped off or picked up at Heathrow must pay £5 a day, car registration is essential if they don’t want to be charged for both ways. The free public transport travel passes for Heathrow workers that applied to zones around the Airport were suspended at the beginning of 2021. Another hit of £12.50 a day will prove too much for many of our members who will seek alternative employment outside of the ULEZ zone.
“The idea that our members ditch their cars and all jump on a local bus is absurd, the local transport infrastructure isn’t set up to support the extra carriage. Many of our members have very early starts and very late finishes, there isn’t public transport that can be used during these unsociable hours. Using their cars means they, many of whom are women, can safely travel alone at times of the day when many of us are in bed asleep.
“GMB understands how important it is to tackle air pollution, but the ULEZ extension will affect our Heathrow members who aren’t earning huge great salaries, who are already struggling to support themselves and their families because of the cost of living, and now face being financially penalised for going to work, having more of their limited income taken from them via another stealth tax.
“Our members are so angry about this, without some kind of concession or exemption for our low-paid members, Heathrow may once again face major ground staff shortages.”
GMB calls on the London Mayor, Sadiq Khan to consider the financial and practical implications the ULEZ charge will have on Heathrow’s essential workers who simply will not afford the cost of getting to work and what that could mean for the Airport.
For more information please contact:
Trevlyn McLeod, GMB London Region Organiser 079 6813 7967
