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| Construction industry blacklisting is unacceptable, warns Vince Cable | Construction industry blacklisting is unacceptable, warns Vince Cable |
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| The government will bring "the full force of the law" to bear on any company found to be blacklisting construction workers because of trade union activity, Vince Cable has warned. | |
| Speaking amid fresh claims that workers on the multimillion Crossrail project have been targeted by contractors and denied future work after raising legitimate health and safety concerns, the business secretary said he had referred the allegations to the information commissioner's office for "urgent consideration". | |
| "Blacklisting is an unacceptable and illegal practice and we take any allegations of blacklisting very seriously," he said. "Perpetrators can expect to feel the full force of the law". | |
| Cable's intervention comes after the chairman of the Scottish affairs select committee, Ian Davidson, called for a "full and thorough" investigation last week, following what he said was clear proof that blacklisting was used in the £14.5bn project to build a 73-mile railway through central London. | Cable's intervention comes after the chairman of the Scottish affairs select committee, Ian Davidson, called for a "full and thorough" investigation last week, following what he said was clear proof that blacklisting was used in the £14.5bn project to build a 73-mile railway through central London. |
| In a letter to Cable, he wrote: "The committee has now received written evidence and held a formal committee hearing on 3 July, with Gail Cartmail of Unite, who has given us what we believe to be clear proof that blacklisting for trade union and health and safety activities has been going on within the contract for the Crossrail project run by BFK." | |
| Crossrail denies the allegations, stating that despite repeated requests it had not been provided with any evidence of blacklisting. But on Sunday night pressure was mounting on the government to launch a full investigation into allegations of blacklisting. | |
| Shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna described the Scottish affairs committee's findings as "new and disturbing". "Six months ago Vince Cable promised that if new evidence came to light on blacklisting he would launch a proper investigation," he said. | |
| "It would be a dereliction of duty, not least to victims of blacklisting, for him to now renege on this promise. There should be a full inquiry into blacklisting as a matter of urgency – nothing less will do." | |
| The issue of blacklisting in the construction industry first came to light in 2009 when it emerged that more than half the country's leading construction firms were using a list with more than 3,000 names on it run by the Consulting Association. Firms paid an annual £3,000-a-year subscription plus £2.20 for each blacklist check. | |
| The information commissioner carried out the original investigation and David Clancy, its investigations manager and a former police officer, said some of information on the blacklisted workers on the Consulting Association list "could only" have come from the police or security services. | The information commissioner carried out the original investigation and David Clancy, its investigations manager and a former police officer, said some of information on the blacklisted workers on the Consulting Association list "could only" have come from the police or security services. |
| Unions say that the list forced thousands of workers and their families into destitution as work dried up – leaving many without work for decades. | Unions say that the list forced thousands of workers and their families into destitution as work dried up – leaving many without work for decades. |
| The GMB union is taking legal action on behalf of some building workers whose names were on the list, seeking compensation for lost earnings. | The GMB union is taking legal action on behalf of some building workers whose names were on the list, seeking compensation for lost earnings. |
| Unite claims that blacklisting is still going on, with workers on the Crossrail project having been victimised for raising safety issues. Frank Morris, an electrician who worked on the project, is taking an employment tribunal and "blacklisting test case" over claims he was dismissed from his job on Crossrail last September after voicing safety concerns. | Unite claims that blacklisting is still going on, with workers on the Crossrail project having been victimised for raising safety issues. Frank Morris, an electrician who worked on the project, is taking an employment tribunal and "blacklisting test case" over claims he was dismissed from his job on Crossrail last September after voicing safety concerns. |
| Unite said it had held a meeting with representatives of BFK earlier this week but had failed to resolve the matter. | Unite said it had held a meeting with representatives of BFK earlier this week but had failed to resolve the matter. |
| "The injustice of the failure of BFK to reinstate the blacklisted shop steward Frank Morris is proof that this is a live issue which must urgently be addressed," said Cartmell. "Vince Cable has taken one step forward to shine a light on the murky world of blacklisting. However, we have concerns that the information commissioner currently lacks the sufficient resources to undertake an investigation that will deliver in a timely fashion." She said the union was still demanding a "Leveson-style inquiry" into blacklisting. | "The injustice of the failure of BFK to reinstate the blacklisted shop steward Frank Morris is proof that this is a live issue which must urgently be addressed," said Cartmell. "Vince Cable has taken one step forward to shine a light on the murky world of blacklisting. However, we have concerns that the information commissioner currently lacks the sufficient resources to undertake an investigation that will deliver in a timely fashion." She said the union was still demanding a "Leveson-style inquiry" into blacklisting. |
| A spokesman for BFK said that as a "gesture of goodwill" it had offered Morris a new position on a separate project, but it had been rejected by Unite. | A spokesman for BFK said that as a "gesture of goodwill" it had offered Morris a new position on a separate project, but it had been rejected by Unite. |
| A spokesman for Crossrail said that "since September 2012, the Unite union has made a series of unsubstantiated allegations against Crossrail Limited". | A spokesman for Crossrail said that "since September 2012, the Unite union has made a series of unsubstantiated allegations against Crossrail Limited". |
| He added: "Crossrail has made repeated requests to be provided with any evidence of the claims made against it by Unite but nothing has been forthcoming. | He added: "Crossrail has made repeated requests to be provided with any evidence of the claims made against it by Unite but nothing has been forthcoming. |
| "Crossrail has asked for and received assurances from all its principal contractors providing confirmation that none have engaged in any blacklisting activity on the Crossrail project. Crossrail will co-operate fully with any investigation undertaken by the information commissioner." | "Crossrail has asked for and received assurances from all its principal contractors providing confirmation that none have engaged in any blacklisting activity on the Crossrail project. Crossrail will co-operate fully with any investigation undertaken by the information commissioner." |