TUC Conference: Day of action against blacklisting planned amid calls for inquiry

A national day of action against blacklisting is to be held, including protests and a lobby of Parliament.

The TUC said the events, on 20 November, will be coupled with calls for a Leveson-style inquiry into the practice.

Thousands of names of mainly construction workers were found on a list held by the Consulting Association when its offices were raided in 2009.

Unions said the workers were denied employment, often for being an activist or raising health and safety issues.

The TUC and unions said they were unhappy that companies who have blacklisted workers have still not been held accountable.

They called on the Government to hold a judge-led inquiry into blacklisting and for companies to be asked if they have ever complied, used, sold or supplied information that could be used for blacklisting.

The TUC added that blacklisting should be made a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment and an unlimited fine.

General secretary Frances O’Grady said: “There is a clear need for a Leveson-style inquiry into blacklisting to make sure it is stamped out once and for all.

“It is essential that companies who have blacklisted workers own up, clean up and pay up.

“It is scandalous that so many people’s livelihoods have been ruined or put at risk just for raising health and safety concerns.”