Motion to full council on Blacklisting - to be submitted at the next council meeting
This Council is deeply concerned by revelations that major companies have been involved in “blacklisting” in order to deny employment to workers who have engaged in trade union activity, such as reporting breaches of health and safety regulations.
The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) found that a blacklist of over 3,200 construction workers was maintained, and their personal details traded for profit. This blacklist was used by over 40 companies and included information about workers’ personal relationships, trade union activity and employment history.
Many of the workers who were blacklisted for reporting breaches of health and safety work in the construction industry which employs 5% of all workers in Britain but produces 22% of fatal injuries.
The ICO list of companies which used the blacklist service includes companies contracted by Bristol City Council. The use of such blacklists is unacceptable and cannot be condoned, having a potentially negative impact on the employment rights of Bristol’s 8,000+ construction workers.
Several local authorities across the country have passed resolutions to refuse to accept tenders for publicly funded contracts from companies that use blacklisting. It is time that Kirklees joined them.
This Council resolves, wherever lawful to do so to;
· Exclude companies involved in blacklisting of workers from securing future Council contracts.
· Require companies tendering for contracts to demonstrate that they are not using blacklists.
· Require that companies that tender for Council contracts demonstrate that they have processes in place to encourage the reporting by workers of workplace concerns, particularly in respect of health, safety and welfare.
· Seek, where this can be done without financial or legal penalty, to terminate contracts where companies are found to be using blacklists.
· Examine existing contracts with any of the companies listed by the ICO and ask for reassurances that the company uses no form of blacklisting to inform their employment decisions.
This council also declares its support for campaigns by trade unions and others against the continued use of blacklisting and the sacking of trade unionists who raise legitimate employment issues and to requests for apologies and compensation to those who have been unable to work due to blacklisting.
This Council is deeply concerned by revelations that major companies have been involved in “blacklisting” in order to deny employment to workers who have engaged in trade union activity, such as reporting breaches of health and safety regulations.
The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) found that a blacklist of over 3,200 construction workers was maintained, and their personal details traded for profit. This blacklist was used by over 40 companies and included information about workers’ personal relationships, trade union activity and employment history.
Many of the workers who were blacklisted for reporting breaches of health and safety work in the construction industry which employs 5% of all workers in Britain but produces 22% of fatal injuries.
The ICO list of companies which used the blacklist service includes companies contracted by Bristol City Council. The use of such blacklists is unacceptable and cannot be condoned, having a potentially negative impact on the employment rights of Bristol’s 8,000+ construction workers.
Several local authorities across the country have passed resolutions to refuse to accept tenders for publicly funded contracts from companies that use blacklisting. It is time that Kirklees joined them.
This Council resolves, wherever lawful to do so to;
· Exclude companies involved in blacklisting of workers from securing future Council contracts.
· Require companies tendering for contracts to demonstrate that they are not using blacklists.
· Require that companies that tender for Council contracts demonstrate that they have processes in place to encourage the reporting by workers of workplace concerns, particularly in respect of health, safety and welfare.
· Seek, where this can be done without financial or legal penalty, to terminate contracts where companies are found to be using blacklists.
· Examine existing contracts with any of the companies listed by the ICO and ask for reassurances that the company uses no form of blacklisting to inform their employment decisions.
This council also declares its support for campaigns by trade unions and others against the continued use of blacklisting and the sacking of trade unionists who raise legitimate employment issues and to requests for apologies and compensation to those who have been unable to work due to blacklisting.
