‘An act of industrial vandalism’

Unite has today (November 18) described the government’s decision to cancel the HS2 spur to Leeds as an ‘act of industrial vandalism’.

“This decision has put back national infrastructure planning by a generation. It is nothing short of industrial vandalism,” commented Unite national officer for construction Jerry Swain.

“By cancelling the HS2 spur to Leeds the government is demonstrating that it is simply not serious about its levelling up agenda and that its manifesto commitment to improving regional connectivity was nothing but hot air.

“HS2 should be the gold standard of construction projects for the next decade and beyond. The entire UK should be benefiting from this development.

“By cancelling the Leeds spur of HS2, the government is denying a huge chunk of the UK the positive benefits of high speed rail, while expecting them to pay for it.

“Despite the cancellation of the Leeds spur it remains essential that the surviving sections of the project become the benchmark that all other construction projects in the UK are set against, in terms of pay, safety, working practices and apprentices,” he added.

“A failure to do so would be a further own goal by the government,” concluded Swain.

Unite will continue to engage in a meaningful way with all parties on the project where possible, in order to achieve well paid jobs in a safe working environment.

Unite is dedicated to advancing the jobs, pay and conditions of its members and will fight back against any efforts to diminish workers’ living standards.

By Barckley Sumner

FIND OUT MORE

Find out how Unite secured access to HS2 here