Blacklist Support Future Events

Its very busy at the moment and here are the main bits and pieces that have been happening on the campaign in the past week or so.

High Court claim:
It looks certain that the claim being prepared by Guney Clark & Ryan solicitors is going to start in earnest within the next few weeks - so watch this space.
And remember we might all be needed to come to the High Court on one day to get onto the TV news.

GMB Report:
GMB are in dispute with Carillion in Swindon. They have produced a report about Carillion's role in the blacklisting scandal (attached) and are talking about taking a separate High Court claim. The GMB are actually sending letters to some people who don't realise they are on the blacklist - so we may get a new spate of court cases coming up soon.

Scottish Affairs Select Committee:
The Westminster based Select Committee is carrying out an investigation into blacklisting that is going to last a few months. So far Maria Fyfe MP, Dave Smith, Francie Graham and Steuart Merchant have all given evidence. It is certain that other blacklisted workers (especially those with a Scottish link) will be brought in to give evidence. They definitely intend to drag in some of the managers that named & shamed in earlier evidence including Gerry Harvey, Director of Balfour Beatty

Police Collusion:
We have had meetings with Christian Khan solicitors regarding a complaint to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) about the police supplying info to the blacklist as exposed in the Observer newspaper. If you have information on your file that could not have come from the press or a manager on a building site but looks like it was supplied by the police - please get in touch. We are hoping RMT and possibly UNITE will fund this.

Tony Jones Employment Tribunal:
Tony's ET claim was recently thrown out at Pre-Hearing Review stage because it was deemed "out of time" by Judge Brain (who has thrown out virtually every case so far). Tony is being hounded for costs but we expect UNITE to pay these.
UCATT:
UCATT Conference passed a composite motion calling for a public inquiry into blacklisting. We hope this makes its way to the TUC Conference. In addition Brian Higgins and John Jones met Steve Murphy (new UCATT General Secretary) this week to discuss the ongoing campaign (more in-depth report to follow).

UNITE:
Unite Conference next week in Brighton has got a motion on the agenda about blacklisting including the call for a public inquiry. Plus there are 2 blacklisting fringe meetings.

European Parliament:
Glenis Willmott MEP has had correspondence from the EU Commissioner Laslo Andor that new blacklisting legislation is not on the European Commissions agenda at the moment. It may still be on the horizon because the European parliament passed a report supporting an anti-blacklisting amendment earlier in the year.

Media interest:
We are getting a lot of media interest at the moment - some from the quality press, some from TV - so once again, anyone up for it, pass over your details - and hopefully we can drag the blacklisters through the mud. Blacklisted politicians, journalists and academics, GMB Report, Select Committee and imminent High Court claim are making them take a bit of notice.

Tollpuddle Festival:
Anyone going to Tollpuddle Festival this year?  It would be good to have a Blacklist Support Group contingent on the march.

Blacklist Support Group
email:  blacklistsg@gmail.com
blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog