Tagged with Blacklisting

Blacklisted – the secret war against trade unionists

blacklisted_fcThe new book Blacklisted by victimized trade unionist, Dave Smith, and investigative journalist, Phil Chamberlain, is an extraordinary achievement, both documenting in detail the sordid conspiracy by powerful corporations to deny ordinary working people the ability to earn a living; but also in giving those victims a voice: telling their own stories. The tales of skilled trades people, who even in the middle of a building boom, were unable to work, sometimes leading to them losing their homes, putting strain upon relationships, and deterioration of health.

As someone who has been around the activist left, and trade unions, for many years, I had always been aware of the folklore of blacklisting, which explained why some of our friends and comrades were struggling to find work. The Economic League closed down in 1993, following an investigation by the House of Commons Select Committee on Employment, and resulting exposure. Continue reading →

How far did blacklisting extend outside construction?

BlacklistingIt was originally assumed that blacklisting was a secret tool used by construction companies – Balfour Beatty, Costain, McAlpine, Skanska, Carillion, Kier and over 30 others – to keep out people they didn’t want. To achieve this the euphemistically named Consulting Association over 16 years (1993-2009) complied a database on thousands of construction workers who were denied a job if it was reported that they were trade union activists or had expressed concern about health and safety standards or had simply been the victims of derogatory gossip, thus destroying their livelihood for sometimes 30 or more years for reasons kept secret for the worker himself. This scandal may finally be exposed in the High Court this year, though nearly half of the 3,213 persons with Consulting Association files on them have still not yet been traced. But the latest evidence now emerging indicates two other sinister trends: the extensive involvement of the police and security services and the inclusion on the blacklists of several persons in public life who have had no connection whatever with the construction industry. Continue reading →

A trade union agenda for Labour

1280px-Durham_Miners_Gala_2008_Old_Elvet_BridgeIt’s no mystery why all the economic indicators point to the economy emerging from the recession and yet wages are continuing to fall behind inflation. The post-recession economy that is being created is based upon reinforcing the distribution of power between capital and labour that has been imposed upon our society since the 1980s.

Thatcher’s anti-trade union laws were intended to ensure that the income generated within our economy poured into the hands of shareholders and company executives while workers’ wages stagnated. The undermining of the ability of trade unions to negotiate effectively on behalf of their members has meant that for three decades the proportion of wealth generated within our economy has grown dramatically for capital but declined for labour.
The return of a Labour Government provides the opportunity to redress this latest history of exploitation. If the next Labour Government is to stand any chance of tackling the grotesque inequalities of present day Britain, it needs a trade union agenda.

This is a simple trade union plan for Labour. Continue reading →

The blacklisting scandal may turn out even worse than the phone-hacking scandal

Blacklist support groupThe revelation from the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) that a Scotland Yard inquiry into police collusion has found that it is “likely that all special branches were involved in providing information” that deprived workers of employment is dynamite. It is known that over 3,200 workers during the period 1993-2009 were blacklisted by up to 44 construction companies – many of them household names like Balfour Beatty, McAlpine, Carillion, and Costain – and were consequently kept out of work sometimes for decades. Continue reading →

Blacklist beaten – Frank Morris reinstated on Crossrail

Frank Morris reinstatedBlacklisted UNITE union shop steward Frank Morris is returning to work on the Crossrail project on 9 September. This is a massive victory, not just for UNITE but the whole of the trade union movement.

Frank Morris came to symbolise the struggle the unions are waging against the illegal blacklist of their members by major construction firms after he was dismissed last September. His reinstatement sends a message out: unions are back and we are ready to fight our corner if we have to. Continue reading →