Blacklisting hotline

A hotline to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has now been set up for workers, who suspect they may have been blacklisted for their union activities, to find out whether their information is on the list.

The move comes in response to the seizure by the ICO of a secret database, allegedly compiled over 15 years by a private investigator, listing details of construction workers and information about their background and activities.

Construction firms such as Balfour Beatty, Sir Robert McAlpine, Costain, Taylor Woodrow, Laing O’Rourke and others are accused of paying for information on potential recruits in order to blacklist so-called troublemakers from work.

Unions are calling for the introduction of legislation to outlaw blacklisting, a move planned five years ago by the government, but dropped when ministers concluded there was no hard evidence that blacklisting was occurring.

Alan Ritchie, general secretary of construction union UCATT, quoted in the Independent, said: “UCATT members know from bitter experience of being refused work that blacklisting exists in construction.” He called the extent of the practice and major company involvement “truly shocking”.

The hotline number is 08456 306060. Callers should be ready to give their name, date of birth and national insurance number.