On Tues 21st John McDonnell MP hosted a meeting at the House of Commons for building workers who had been blacklisted in the well publicised Consulting Association case.

The blacklisted workers were from a variety of different unions including UNITE (TGWU & Amicus sections), UCATT, GMB and some workers who have been forced to leave the construction industry altogether. A decision was taken at the meeting to set up an informal support network for blacklisted building workers to give those on the blacklist a coherent collective voice. The group will be called the Blacklist Support Group.

Those present had brought their files to the meeting which clearly demonstrated that raising concerns about safety or complaining about non payment of wages would result in a major employer providing information to the blacklist. There were numerous examples of victimisation and offers of jobs being rescinded once workers had provided their National Insurance number.

The general purpose of the Blacklist Support Group will be to: ensure that the voice of those blacklisted is always central in any discussion about new legislation (government is in consultation period for new Regulations now) provide an informal support network for blacklisted workers to share information regardless of which union they belong to expose the illegal practices of the major construction firms involved in blacklisting investigate the prospects of a potential "class-action" civil claim and Human Rights cases fully support the work of the construction trade unions in a fraternal manner A spokesperson for Blacklist Support Group said: " The files are blatant evidence of systematic victimisation but this is not about being a victim. This is about ensuring justice for those honest building workers who raised genuine concerns about safety or complained if they were not paid. This is about multi-national companies not being above the law This is about equality and fairness: Human Rights for trade union members.”

Blacklist Support Group plans to attend Labour Party & TUC Conference to lobby for action to be taken against the major companies involved (including: Balfour Beatty, Costain, Carillion, Kier), compensation for those who were forced out of work because of their trade union membership and strongest possible legislation to ban blacklisting in the future.

for interviews with individual blacklisted workers please contact: blacklistsg@googlemail.com

pix of blacklisted builders at House of Commons available from Mick Holder mick.holder@yahoo.co.uk

Blacklist Support Group