UK Government plans to outlaw blacklisting

Government outlines plans to outlaw blacklisting
nds.coi.gov.uk...

The covert database that kept union activists out of work
www.guardian.co.uk...

Peter Mandelson has opened a consultation on banning the use of union blacklists by employers. The listening period is until 18 August.

The proposal is to prohibit compiling, disseminating or using blacklists of staff with union affiliations and make it illegal to refuse employment or dismiss staff as a result of such a list. It would also be illegal for a recruitment firm to refuse to put anyone on their books as a result of such a list. Individuals and unions would be able to sue for compensation if such a list is used or distributed.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) found evidence of union blacklists going back 30 years when it investigated a consulting association from Droitwich, Worcester. It charged building firms and recruiters £3,000 a year plus £2.20 for every record checked. The company, which has now ceased trading, held records on thousands of building workers.

According to the ICO, the consulting association held a list of 3,213 building workers and was used by 40 major clients. Some of the records referred to poor work practices, failure to follow health and safety rules and violence against colleagues, but 75 per cent of the records were about union activity or support.

The government apparently accepts that the proposals could be avoided by simply running a website from overseas, but have been reported stating that British users of such a service could still be punished. Journalists, as far as i'm aware, are exempted from the proposals, as long as they don't name anyone.

UK - Concernrd people in the building trade can contact the ICO to see if they're named in the records.

Law Lords rule in favour of RCN members.
www.rcn.org.uk...
A Government blacklist of nurses and care workers deemed unfit to work with children and vulnerable adults was ruled unfair by the House of Lords earlier this year.

About time too. Keeping a blacklist is bad but on top of this it is loose, corrupt and extraordinarily vindictive.

The most notorious industry were this happens in the UK is in the construction industry. There are individuals that get targeted and never find employed in their trades as a result. Those that eventually do find work have their name publicised amongst embers in a locality and are victimised.

Here is an excerpt from a respected activist, Alan Wainwright;




Star and flag for you.

So is this an attempt to save some trees or something?

Just because there would be no physical list (assuming of course the law is wholly followed just like all those other laws:@@ doesnt mean there isnt a 'word-of-mouth" list of sorts. Getting into "thought-crime" territory.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere

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Or maybe anti slander laws.