A group of Labour MPs have agreed to work with construction union UCATT to pressurise the Government to strengthen the draft regulations designed to outlaw blacklisting.
The MPs agreed to take this action at the parliamentary launched on Tuesday of Ruined Lives, an academic report which reveals that the Government’s proposed anti-blacklisting regulations are inadequate. Ruined Lives was commissioned by UCATT and produced by the Institute of Employment Rights.
Professor Keith Ewing the author of Ruined Lives said the Government's draft regulations were "hopeless and inadequate". He described how the regulations do not provide a right not to be blacklisted, if a worker is blacklisted there is no automatic right to compensation and that it would not be illegal to supply information to a blacklist. The Government does not propose to make blacklisting a criminal offence so the burden of proof remains on the affected worker.
Mr Ewing also described how the draft regulations were too narrowly defined as they only referred to trade union activity, which could mean that the blacklisting of political activists would remain legal. The draft regulations also do not cover industrial action.
Alan Ritchie, General Secretary of UCATT, described how union health and safety reps were especially targeted by companies, as they were often swiftly laid off after assuming their duties and then were unable to find work with other companies.
Speaking about the need for the draft regulations to be strengthened Mr Ritchie, said: "The regulations don't just have to be watertight they have to be airtight so the employers can’t wriggle out of them."
John Winstanley a UCATT activist who was blacklisted throughout his working life told the meeting how between 1964-1987 he had 54 different employers, due to being blacklisted. Resulting in often having to claim benefits a situation which placed a huge "strain on his relationship".
Despite having been in the construction industry for 50 years Mr Winstanley said that he felt he could not provide a reference for any of his family because of the "fear that as I was blacklisted it would affect the work of my relations".
The Government is due to publish the anti-blacklisting regulations before Christmas, following a consultation exercise that ended in August. The MPs have agreed to ask parliamentary questions, lobby the Department of Business and use parliamentary scrutiny methods in order to ensure that the regulations are strengthened.
(CD/GK)
Construction News
22/10/2009
MPs To Increase Efforts To Strengthen Blacklisting Measures
.gif)

11/07/2025
Story Homes has submitted a full planning application to South Ribble Borough Council for a proposed new residential development in Longton, aiming to build on the success of its nearby Longton Grange scheme.
With the majority of homes now sold at Longton Grange, the developer is looking to meet co

11/07/2025
Essar Energy Transition (EET), through its subsidiary EET Property Limited, has completed the acquisition of Thornton Science Park.
The 66-acre site includes purpose-built laboratories, industrial facilities, and office space, and is set to play a central role in EET's ambition to create one of Eur

11/07/2025
Families are preparing to move into four newly completed houses for affordable rent at the Malthouse Meadows development in West Sompting, Adur.
The latest handover marks a key milestone in the delivery of high-quality, energy-efficient homes aimed at addressing local housing needs.
The four fami

11/07/2025
Galliford Try's project team at the Syngenta manufacturing site in Huddersfield has been shortlisted in two categories at the 2025 Constructing Excellence (CE) Yorkshire and Humber Awards, celebrating the success and resilience of a long-standing partnership spanning over two decades.
The team has

11/07/2025
Cambridgeshire County Council has appointed Morgan Sindall Construction to deliver a new secondary school at the heart of the Alconbury Weald development, continuing its investment in the region's educational infrastructure.
The new school, named Alconbury Weald Church Academy, will be run by the D

11/07/2025
Passengers and residents in Stone, Staffordshire, are being urged to prepare for a £7 million-plus package of railway upgrades set to improve safety, performance and long-term reliability on the West Coast Main Line.
The work, scheduled to take place during the summer school holidays, will include

11/07/2025
A ceremonial tile signing has marked a major milestone in the restoration of the historic Pippbrook House, as roof-level works near completion on the Grade II* listed building in Dorking.
Chair of Mole Valley District Council (MVDC), Councillor Roger Adams, led the event, joined by a host of guests

11/07/2025
ACS Construction Group has been appointed Principal Contractor by GE Vernova for a major infrastructure expansion at its Stafford HVDC Transformers facility, part of the company’s drive to support global decarbonisation through advanced transformer technology.
ACS commenced with the Test Supply Bui

10/07/2025
Vistry Group has agreed two major deals with housing provider Abri to enable the delivery of almost 200 affordable homes across Hampshire, marking a significant step forward in addressing local housing needs.
In Funtley, near Fareham, Vistry has completed a simultaneous land acquisition and forward

10/07/2025
Caddick Construction has officially completed its first Midlands project with the handover of Mansion House, a six-storey residential development comprising 58 new apartments, to joint venture partners Urban Splash and Places for People.
Located on the 43-acre Port Loop island alongside Birmingham