Companies including Balfour Beatty, Carillion and Sir Robert McAlpine announce move after years of campaigning by unions
Major construction companies are to compensate workers whose names were on a secret industry blacklist.
The dramatic development follows years of campaigning by unions after it was discovered that more than 3,200 names, mainly of building workers, were kept on the list, drawn up by a shadowy organisation called the Consulting Association.
Workers involved claimed they were denied work, often for merely raising legitimate concerns about health and safety on building sites. Legal action is being taken on behalf of some of those on the list.
The eight firms announced that they were working together to develop a scheme to compensate construction workers whose names were on the Consulting Association (TCA) database.
Read more: Construction firms to compensate workers whose names were on blacklist
Comments
Blacklisting is still widespread in the construction industry. Workers are now more vulnerable because of the use of agencies and payroll companies. Just raising a health and safety issue can mean that you can lose your job as happened recently to Frank Morris at Crossrail.
I am now over 60 and work as a small self employed landscaper but had worked for landscaping companies most of my life. I am a member of the building workers union UCATT and have been in the past victimised for my trade union activities. Some of my mates still work on sites. I am aware the rates I get paid are directly related to the rates apprenticed served skilled workers get paid on sites as many workers move back and forth between industries and type of employment. I know which side I am on as we are all basically having to work for a wage.
Ian