County workers on "illegal" construction blacklist (From Western Telegraph)

County workers on "illegal" construction blacklist

10:40am Sunday 17th February 2013 in News

Two Pembrokeshire people are among 111 in Wales on a construction industry ‘blacklist’, despite not a single company on it being punished or any compensation being paid, according to the GMB.

The construction workers’ union said less than 10% of those listed knew they are on the list and being “deprived of an honest living through these illegal tactics”.

Pembroke and Kilgetty are among the 46 areas in Wales where it is known workers on the industry blacklist have either lived or worked.

The blacklist first came to light in 2009 when the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) seized a Consulting Association database of more than 3,000 construction workers.

This was used by 44 companies to vet new recruits and keep away from employment trade union and health and safety activists.

GMB has identified 200 union members and is working with them to get their files and seek compensation.

Paul Kenny, GMB General Secretary, said: “They have been the victims of injustice over many years by multinational companies, now seeking to live off public sector contracts. Not a single company has yet been punished nor have any of them paid compensation.”

Construction workers from these areas who were trade union and health and safety activists and were denied work for reasons they could not explain are asked to get in touch so that GMB can cross check the records for them.