GMB has revealed evidence that there was a plan to extend blacklisting into NHS in 2005. There needs to be an inquiry whether this plan was put into effect.
Blacklisting in the construction industry came to light when in 2009 the ICO seized The Consulting Association (TCA) database of 3,213 construction workers and environmental activists used by 44 companies to vet new recruits and keep out of employment trade union and health and safety activists. TCA was run by Ian Kerr based in Worcestershire.
In new evidence to the Scottish Affairs Select Committee Inquiry on blacklisting there is a private and confidential letter on TCA headed paper from Ian Kerr dated 22nd February 2005 entitled Healthcare – Facilities Management. It was sent to John Conner, Amec: Liz Keats, Carillion; Iain Coates, Emcor Drake & Scull; Don Walker, Haden Building Management; Danny O’Sullivan, Kier, Alf Lucas, John Mowlem; and Allison Wilkins and Stephen Quant, Skanska Rashleigh Weatherfoil.
The letter from Ian Kerr states
Following last year’s meeting to consider a facilities management meeting I am now able to offer the following dates for a further meeting to cover the healthcare sector.
Please circle ALL dates convenient for you to attend a meeting at Skanska’s offices
Fleet Street, London, commencing 10.30am.MARCH 2005
Tues 22nd Thurs 24th Wed 30th Thurs 31st”
The Liz Keates referred to had responsibility for HR at Carillion facilities management contracts in the Health service. She was involved as HR at Swindon PFI Hospital where 51 GMB members are pursuing claims at an ET to hold Carillion to account for race discrimination, bullying and harassment and victimisation that she failed to deal with at the hospital, leading to 21 days of strike action in 2012.
Liz Keates (LK), as Head of Employee Relations at Carillion plc was named by Ian Kerr as the main contact for Carillion / Crown House Engineering and Tarmac. She joined Crown House Engineering, which was part of Tarmac, in 1998. The initials LK appear 92 times against 75 different individuals in the blacklist files while working for the company 3271/81, the code used for Crown House Engineering, Carillion and Tarmac. 64 separate workers have been refused work after Liz Keates checked their records with The Consulting Association. 11 of these were refused work twice and 2 workers refused work three times. Carillion, and associated companies, have been described by Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd as ‘heavy users of the Consulting Association in terms of the amount of information provided by the Carillion Third Parties on workers. Further, the number of occasions on which the Carillion Third Parties are recorded as refusing employment to workers is particularly high compared to other members of the Consulting Association.’
There will be a hearing in the High Court in London on 14th May seeking compensation for 122 GMB members blacklisted by Carillion and other construction employers. The claims were served on 27th November 2013. GMB’s claims were joined with a further 449 claims by other unions and parties at a High Court Hearing in July 2014.
Justin Bowden, GMB National Officer, said
We know that construction workers and environmentalists were blacklisted.
Private and confidential papers belonging to Ian Kerr show Liz Keates from Carillion as one of eight invitees to a meeting to cover issues in the healthcare sector.
It is quite clear that Ian Kerr and The Consulting Association saw a role for their services in the NHS and questions should be asked whether Carillion and Liz Keates did so as well. The British public has the right to know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about the full extent of blacklisting; only a full Public Inquiry will do this.These papers give the lie to Carillion’s claims that they had no involvement with TCA from 2004 onwards.”
Copy of letter from Ian Kerr dated 22nd Feb 2005.
THE CONSULTING ASSOCIATION
——————————————————————————————————————–PO Box No. 246, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, B60 4AB
22nd February 2005
PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL
Dear
Healthcare – Facilities Management
Following last year’s meeting to consider a facilities management meeting
am now able to offer the following dates for a further meeting to cover the healthcare sector.I will be grateful if you can return this letter to me indicating which dates ar
Please circle ALL dates convenient for you to attend a meeting at Skanska’s offices
Fleet Street, London, commencing 10.30am.MARCH 2005
Tues 22nd Thurs 24th Wed 30th Thurs 31st
As soon as a date is agreed I will write to confirm with an outline agenda an
directions.As mentioned before please indicate if you wish to introduce a colleague from your
company.Yours sincerely
Ian Kerr
To:
John Conner Amec
Liz Keats Carillion
Iain Coates Emcor Drake & Scull
Don Walker Haden Building Management
Danny O’Sullivan Kier
Alf Lucas John Mowlem
Allison Wilkins Skanska Rashleigh Weatherfoil
Stephen Quant Skanska Rashleigh Weatherfoil
