Petition · PE01481 · Session 4
End to blacklisting in Scotland
Signatures
140
Comments
0
Considered
8 meetings
What it asks
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to conduct a full, independent public inquiry into the effects and extent of blacklisting in Scotland and for the inquiry to examine and determine which companies have been awarded public contracts, to investigate how to introduce ethical procurement policies and how to ensure that companies who continue to practice blacklisting are banned from tendering for future public contracts.
What the petitioner did first
Trade unions have called for a full disclosure of the information obtained from the Consultancy Association (CA), and an investigation into the links between construction employers, the police, security services and the CA. Information in the public domain from the CA shows that personal information about workers resident in Scotland is held in the Blacklisting files obtained by the Information Commissioners Office following a raid conducted in 2009.
The clandestine nature of blacklisting makes it very difficult to prove. However anecdotal evidence provided by Trade Union members suggests that blacklisting is still a practice undertaken by unscrupulous employers in the construction industry today. Serious concern remains about this now illegal practice and the impact of this activity on the job prospects, career progression and remuneration of trade union members. We also believe that it undermines the crucial work undertaken, on behalf of the whole industry, by Trade Union Shop Stewards and Health & Safety Representatives who may fear retribution for undertaking lawful trade union duties.
Trade unions have taken legal action in support of their members including in February this year. A construction worker on the Crossrail project who believes he was blacklisted because of his union and safety activities won the right to challenge his sacking. An Employment Tribunal ruled on 27 February that both Crossrail and contractor Bam Ferrovial Kier (BFK) should appear in court to answer the allegations that Unite safety rep Frank Morris was unfairly dismissed. It is incumbent on the Scottish Government to ensure that no similar cases have happened or will happen on construction projects undertaken with public funds.
Matters have been raised directly in the Scottish Parliament by Neil Findlay MSP, who has secured a members’ debate on Blacklisting, and other MSPs regarding Blacklisting in Scotland. A written response from the Scottish Government states that ‘The Scottish Government has no plans to commission an independent report to determine whether blacklist is continuing in the construction sector.’ This response does not address the genuine concerns of many with experience of the construction industry that blacklisting is still happening within the industry today.
The clandestine nature of blacklisting makes it very difficult to prove. However anecdotal evidence provided by Trade Union members suggests that blacklisting is still a practice undertaken by unscrupulous employers in the construction industry today. Serious concern remains about this now illegal practice and the impact of this activity on the job prospects, career progression and remuneration of trade union members. We also believe that it undermines the crucial work undertaken, on behalf of the whole industry, by Trade Union Shop Stewards and Health & Safety Representatives who may fear retribution for undertaking lawful trade union duties.
Trade unions have taken legal action in support of their members including in February this year. A construction worker on the Crossrail project who believes he was blacklisted because of his union and safety activities won the right to challenge his sacking. An Employment Tribunal ruled on 27 February that both Crossrail and contractor Bam Ferrovial Kier (BFK) should appear in court to answer the allegations that Unite safety rep Frank Morris was unfairly dismissed. It is incumbent on the Scottish Government to ensure that no similar cases have happened or will happen on construction projects undertaken with public funds.
Matters have been raised directly in the Scottish Parliament by Neil Findlay MSP, who has secured a members’ debate on Blacklisting, and other MSPs regarding Blacklisting in Scotland. A written response from the Scottish Government states that ‘The Scottish Government has no plans to commission an independent report to determine whether blacklist is continuing in the construction sector.’ This response does not address the genuine concerns of many with experience of the construction industry that blacklisting is still happening within the industry today.
Where it was considered
Official Report-
11 Jun 20131 mention
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1 Oct 20131 mention
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30 Oct 20131 mention
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4 Dec 20131 mention
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21 May 20141 mention
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28 May 20141 mention
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13 Aug 20141 mention
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5 Nov 20141 mention
Signatures by country
No online signatures are recorded for this petition; the total above may include paper signatures.
Comments
No public comments.