Business Secretary Vince Cable faced mounting pressure from unions and politicians to investigate whether blacklisting is an ongoing practice in workplaces across Britain this week. The Scottish Affairs select committee last Friday requested he undertake a “thorough investigation” into the illegal practice.
Blacklisting was thought by many to be a thing of the past. However evidence submitted by construction union Unite details both historic and ongoing practices of blacklisting against union activists. Unite assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail says it is time for the government to launch “a Leveson style inquiry” into blacklisting in Britain:
We urge the business secretary to agree to the committee’s request to undertake a thorough investigation. It is unacceptable that contractors working on high profile projects should be allowed to get away with these activities without intervention from the government.”
An investigation by the government would be a significant milestone for the victims’ campaign for justice – we urge Vince Cable to act without delay and respond with a Leveson style inquiry.”
High profile campaigns for former safety rep Frank Morris who was dismissed from the Crossrail project last year have attracted widespread attention and have formed the centre piece for a massive union campaign to have him re-instated.
Peaceful civil disobedience by activists including blocking roads and disrupting deliveraries in and out of Crossrail have been key to the campaign.
The Blacklist Support Group which was formed in the wake of the original Consulting Association Scandal in 2009 issued a statement saying they would continue their campaign until the illegal practice was ended:
Blacklisted workers applaud the work of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee: referring Crossrail to the government sends out a clear message. But until Frank Morris gets his job back on Crossrail, the fight continues. And we will use every means at our disposal to achieve justice.
Big business should not be above the law. Only a full Public Inquiry into blacklisting will uncover the true extent of the industrial scale human rights abuse that has taken place against UK citizens.”
The video displayed was produced by Reel News and shows blacklisted workers blocking traffic in London to highlight the plight of Frank Morris. This article first appeared at the Daily Dreadnought
