Stockport Labour Group is seeking a change in policy by Stockport Council to ensure that firms found to have used illegal ‘blacklisting’ adequately compensate victims before winning future Council contracts.
Blacklisting is the illegal practice of denying employment to individuals on the basis of information, accurate or not, which is held on a database.
Labour is calling for firms who want Council contracts to have to show they do not currently practice blacklisting, and for those who have used blacklisting in the past to prove they have ceased and taken sufficient measures to remedy their past wrongs.
In 2009 the Information Commissioner’s Officer discovered that 44 construction firms had been using an illegal blacklist which prevented thousands of workers from being employed. Nationwide, 3,213 workers had been blacklisted for reporting health and safety concerns or for being members of trade unions and had been labelled as ‘troublemakers’ or ‘militants’.
The GMB Trade Union has found that 183 workers were blacklisted in Greater Manchester.
At the Council Meeting of Stockport Council taking place on 11th September, Offerton Labour Councillor Laura Booth will propose a motion on the issue challenging Councillors from across the political spectrum to support moves taken by other Councils to prevent firms involved in blacklisting from winning Council contracts. The move has already won support from members of other political parties, with Council Deputy Leader Iain Roberts seconding the proposal.
Cllr Booth said“Blacklisting is an immoral practice which has blighted the lives of thousands of workers. Skilled workers who simply raised concerns about site safety or were members of trade unions were singled out by powerful construction bosses and denied the chance to work.
“Labour are making a stand against an unfair employment practice that has ruined lives across the North-West, and are doing all we can to ensure that the Council adopts a new policy which both recognises past indiscretions and safeguards against similar activities being undertaken in the future.”
Neil Smith, the Regional Political Officer for the GMB Union, said “we continue to ensure that all due regard is made in the process of seeking out and exposing those companies involved in the practice of Blacklisting, in helping those workers affected to get the compensation and public apology they deserve, and also to ask Local Authorities to look at the contracts they award. Councils need to act to make sure Blacklisting, or other such illegal practices, are never allowed to happen again.”