Unions call for fresh review as blacklisting scandal looks set to spread

Unions are pursuing legal action in a bid to win affected members compensation as a result of the scandal, with a High Court hearing due in April.

The secret file was discovered during a raid by the Information Commissioner’s Office in 2009 on the Consulting Association, which compiled a list of over 3,200 workers on behalf of construction firms.

Most of the names were of building workers, though it emerged this year that environmental campaigners – and comedian Mark Thomas – were also included.

Sources have told the Press Association the name of a train driver has now been found on the blacklist.

The Rail Maritime and Transport union called on the Information Commissioner to launch a fresh examination of the records to establish how many people outside the construction industry could have been blacklisted.

General secretary Bob Crow said: “Until the full facts are disclosed we simply do not know how many of our members have had their lives and careers blighted by a political and industrial conspiracy at the very highest level.

“RMT also believes that whole blacklisting scandal was kicked off in the industrial climate in the early ’70s which also saw the jailing of the Shrewsbury pickets.

“Their case is intertwined with the blacklisting outrage and trade unions will not rest until every single worker caught up in the conspiracy receives justice.”

The GMB, Unite and Ucatt are taking legal action on behalf of construction workers, many of whom fear they have been denied employment because their names were on the list.

A group of construction firms announced in October that they were setting up a scheme to compensate workers whose names were on the blacklist. No money will be paid out until next year.

Unions have called for a Leveson-style inquiry into the blacklistings, sometimes for merely raising health and safety concerns.