The government intends to introduce new regulations to prevent union members being denied employment by secret blacklists, business secretary Lord Mandelson said today.
The Information Commissioner reported in March that 40 construction companies had subscribed to a database used to vet construction workers, which has now been closed under data protection law. Many of those on the list were union activists who were therefore branded as troublemakers.
“People should not be victimised at work or denied access to employment opportunities because of their trade union membership,” Mandelson said. “Evidence from the Information Commissioner showed there was a problem. There is already legal protection against the misuse of people's personal details. We now plan to strengthen the law by introducing new regulations to outlaw the compilation, dissemination and use of blacklists in this way.”
The government has promised a short consultation early in the summer on revised regulations, which would supplement the provisions of the Employment Relations Act 1999. Regulations could then be approved by Parliament in the autumn.
TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: “It is outrageous that unscrupulous employers have been victimising trade unionists through shady blacklisting practices that have no place in a democratic society. I am glad that the government is now consulting speedily on this issue which will, I hope, lead to quick and effective action to outlaw this utterly unacceptable practice.”
Last week, construction worker Mick Dooley became the first person to take legal action over the blacklisting scandal that emerged in March. Dooley, a prominent member of the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians who has stood for the leadership of the union, has lodged a claim against Robert McAlpine, one of the firms alleged to have used the list.