ON Mon 3rd Feb 2014, the first full round table talks for the employers funded blacklisting compensation scheme took place in Euston. Negotiators representing the 8 blacklisting construction firms named as defendants in the High Court cases for illegal conspiracy met representatives from the Blacklist Support Group (BSG), Guney Clark & Ryan solicitors (GCR) plus the trade unions UNITE, UCATT & GMB and their legal teams.
At previous talks held before Christmas, the BSG delegation walked out of the negotiations at what they considered the insulting offer of £1000 compensation.
Lawyers representing blacklisted workers had already submitted a formal response to the employers original draft proposals but to date there has been no formal response from Pinsent Mason, the lawyers for the blacklisting companies. The employers team spent the talks reiterating their position and restated their intention of making the 'generous' offer of £1000 to the majority of blacklisted workers, in what they repeatedly described as a 'fast track transparent alternative to the High Court'.
Following the meeting, Dave Smith from the BSG called the employers proposals a 'fast track alternative to justice' and described the response from those representing blacklisted workers as 'blunt'.
The ball is now firmly in the court of the blacklisting companies. The next stage of the negotiation process is for their lawyers to respond to the issues raised by the workers side. Until there are any concrete proposals there is nothing more to discuss.
Liam Dunne, attending the talks on behalf of blacklisted workers represented by Guney, Clark & Ryan solicitors said 'It remains full steam ahead with the High Court claim', which is next due in court in April.
The Blacklist Support Group is advising blacklisted workers to have nothing to do with the employers scheme until all negotiations are fully completed. Even those individuals who may only be interested in financial compensation would be selling themselves short if they accept anything these blacklisting firms offer at the moment.
Note: The companies participating in the blacklisting compensation scheme are; Sir Robert McAlpine, Balfour Beatty, Carillion, Laing O'Rourke, Costain, Vinci, Skanska and Kier.
Blacklist Support Group
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