After a 3 year investigation into blacklisting, the Scottish Affairs Select Committee report proposed a number of recommendations to eradicate blacklisting. The cross party report by MPs called for no public contracts to be awarded to blacklisting firms until they prove they have "self-cleansed". This included paying compensation at levels agreed by the trade unions, direct employment on future public contracts and a procedure to ensure that blacklisted workers are not denied jobs in the future. The proposals were sent to the government but unfortunately they have all been disregarded by both the governments in Scotland and Westminster.
The response by Ian Davidson, chair of the Select Committee is in this link:
2. Employment Agency exposed as running blacklist of pro-union workers:
A Danish TV programme has exposed ongoing blacklisting by the employment agency Atlanco Rimec. The agency operates in the UK and Ireland in the construction industry. The Scottish Affairs Select Committee have stated that they will open up further investigations into ongoing blacklisting following this revelation.
3. UCATT Conference:
UCATT national delegates conference last week unanimously passed a motion calling for a full public inquiry into blacklisting and in support of the Shrewsbury Pickets.
4. Recent blacklisting protests have taken place at Alder hey Hospital in Liverpool where Laing O'Rourke and Crown House continue to blacklist union activists and at the Scottish parliament during the debate about the proposed procurement Bill. Great stuff everyone who took part (pix attached).
5. Friday 23rd May - sparks day of action against agencies:
Following the recent changes in the rules on self-employment there have been a number of industrial disputes involving agency workers demanding to be taken on the cards directly. Some of the sites have been successful, with workers either taken on directly by the contractor or the agency, while other agencies have developed an "umbrella" scheme to avoid the law. The UNITE construction rank & file under the banner of 'Site Worker' paper are organising a series of actions across the UK on Friday 23rd May against agencies who are refusing to take workers on the cards. Blacklisted workers will be participating in the events in London, Manchester, Wales, North East and Midlands
For further details contact: siteworkers@virgingmedia.com
6. PCS Conference:
Blacklisting is being discussed at a fringe meeting about undercover police at PCS conference in Brighton this Wednesday evening.
Keep the Faith
Dave
Blacklist Support Group
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment