Consultation gets underway over blacklisting regulations

Unions have welcomed the government’s launch of consultation on regulations to outlaw blacklisting of union members.

Business secretary Lord Mandelson last month launched a shorter-than-usual six-week consultation on proposals after the revelation by the Information Commissioner earlier in the year of a secret blacklisting service run for construction employers by Ian Kerr of the Consulting Association.

Mandelson described blacklisting as “totally unacceptable” and added: “I am determined to act quickly to stamp out this despicable practice.” The main proposals are:

• to make it unlawful for organisations to refuse employment to or sack individuals as a result of appearing on a blacklist;

• to make it unlawful for employment agencies to refuse to provide a service on the basis of appearing on a blacklist; and

• to enable individuals or unions to pursue compensation or solicit action against those who compile, distribute or use blacklists.

Alan Ritchie, general secretary of construction union UCATT, welcomed the move but said the union was “disappointed that the consultation document fails to recommend any compensation for existing victims of blacklists”.

The case for legislation on blacklisting was made last month when Kerr was fined a mere £5,000 plus costs for Data Protection Act offences related to running the blacklisting service. Ritchie described the outcome as “a slap in the face for our members who were denied work because of his actions”.