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From The Socialist newspaper, 25 January 2012
Exposed - the dirty world of the construction blacklist
A London Employment Tribunal has found that engineer Dave Smith had been blacklisted by Carillion (JM) Limited and Schal International Limited (a wholly owned subsidiary of Carillion) because he raised concerns about asbestos on building sites and because of his trade union activities. The firms actually admitted that their managers had supplied the malicious information in a signed statement to the court.
But shockingly because Dave had been employed through an employment agency, UK employment law does not protect him or millions of other agency workers. So the multi-national construction firms won the tribunal on this legal technicality.
During the tribunal a blacklist file collated by the Consulting Association was presented as evidence and contained many details about Dave and how he had complained about issues like asbestos or poor toilet facilities on building sites. The file was covertly shared among the 44 largest construction firms in the UK.
This is almost certain to become a key element in a larger "class action" style claim being brought to the High Court by 100 blacklisted workers in the next few months.
Ex-police officer Dave Clancy is the Head of the Investigations Team at the Information Commissioners Office, the man who led the raid on the Consulting Association premises and discovered the blacklist. He said in the hearing under oath: "There is information on the Consulting Association files that I believe could only be supplied by the police or the security services". He also told the court that the Consulting Association held information on elected politicians, journalists, lawyers and academics.
Labour MP John McDonnell said after hearing these revelations: "I am calling upon the government to launch a public inquiry into the full extent and impact on people's lives of blacklisting. These revelations are truly shocking and warrant a detailed and open, public investigation."
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In The Socialist 25 January 2012:
Anti-cuts campaign
Hard Times - but not for the 1%
Socialist Party editorial
Add your name to the TUSC petition
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition election conference
Socialist Party news and analysis
Public sector pensions: 'Coalition of the willing' gathering strength
Financial vultures kill Peacocks
Fight the Tories' Welfare Reform Bill
Victory against Dorries' abstinence education bill
Keep the racist EDL out of Leicester
Education
Haringey parents say: No to academies!
NUS calls national student walkout
Socialist Party feature
Balfour Beatty re-ballot: Vote to strike again
Sweetheart stitch-ups in the electrical industry: A spark's history of the Joint Industry Board
Exposed - the dirty world of the construction blacklist
International socialist news and analysis
Egypt - A year of revolution and counter-revolution
Socialist Party workplace news
Stepping up the action to defend pensions at Unilever
Defend Len Hockey: Outrageous attack on Whipps Cross hospital workers
Pontefract hospital: Army withdrawn - now kick out PFI!
Llanelli: Save Prince Philip's A&E
Stop the Salford day centre closures
Kirklees parents say 'save our children's centres!'
Greenwich Unite members oppose cuts, privatisation and racism
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