Olympic protest planned over blacklist scandal

Union officials are planning to hold a demonstration at the Olympic Park site in protest against the employment of contractors involved in the blacklist scandal.

Members of the Unite union are angry that contractors who subscribed to the list, drawn up to identify so-called ‘troublemaker’ workers, are being employed on the high profile public-funded project.

‘It’s a disgrace that firms who used the list are still working on public projects,’ said one member. ‘We have to make sure that none of them continue to use the information they have on these workers.’

The demonstration will take place at a main entrance to the site in Newham, east London on 6 May.

The news came the same day that the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) started confirming the names of workers on the blacklist and releasing files to individuals. Several workers are now considering legal action against contractors that used the information.

Steve Acheson, a Unite branch official, told Building he’s considering suing the contractors who provided the information for his file for a financial loss of over £200,000.

Contract Journal reports on the government response to the construction blacklisting rscandal. Harriet Harman, deputy leader of the Labour Party, told the house of commons that the government would work with the ICO and Ucatt to put and end to these ‘scurrilous activities.’

And Ucatt-sponsored MP Mick Clapham tabled an Early Day Motion that laws on blacklisting, drawn up in 1990, should be implemented immediately.