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Blacklisted workers accept compensation from firms

Open-access content Tuesday 3rd May 2016
From the archive:  Just so you know, this article is more than 3 years old.

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Legal action was launched when it was revealed that the contractors including Balfour Beatty, Carillion, Costain, Kier, Laing O'Rourke, Sir Robert McAlpine, Skanska UK and Vinci had funded a secret system to blacklist workers. The database contained details of workers' trade union activities and past employment conduct; some were cited for voicing concerns about health and safety while on sites.

Action was taken in 2009 against 30 firms, including Balfour Beatty, Carillion, Costain, Kier, Laing O'Rourke, Sir Robert McAlpine, Skanska UK and Vinci after the Information Commissioning Office seized 3200 files kept by the Consulting Association.

Individuals represented by UCATT, GMB and legal firm GCR have accepted compensation. Approximately 90 workers represented by UNITE are expected to settle at a high court hearing on 9 May.

A statement from UCATT said: "The construction companies have offered financial settlements which all claimants represented by UCATT, GMB and GCR have now accepted as fair and reasonable."

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