GMB, the union for construction workers, has now found nearly 200 members are on the construction industry blacklist but the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) is failing to cooperate with GMB solicitors Leigh Day who is preparing litigation to get these members compensation.

This blacklist came to light when, in 2009, the ICO seized a database, held by blacklisting body the Consulting Association, of 3,213 construction workers used by 44 companies to vet new recruits and keep out of employment trade union and health and safety activists.

After the ICO seized the database they never contacted anyone on the list to let them know they were blacklisted. By autumn 2012 only 194 of the 3,213 people on the blacklist knew three years later that they were on the list as these had contacted the ICO directly.

ICO finally agreed to help us check against our own membership records to find our members on the blacklist. However the ICO is now failing to cooperate with Leigh Day who is preparing litigation to get them compensation at no cost to these members.

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It is against this background that GMB welcome the Opposition Day Debate being held on Wednesday 23 January to try to force the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) to write to those blacklisted so that they can seek compensation.

Justin Bowden, GMB National Officer, said: "People were deprived of an honest living by these illegal tactics which blighted their families' lives. They have been the victims of injustice over many years by multi-national companies which now seek to live off public sector contracts.

"GMB welcome this move by the Labour front bench to try and force the ICO to write to those blacklisted so that they can seek compensation. The ICO should have done this more than 3 years ago.

"By being obstructive and unhelpful the ICO continue to place obstacles in the way of GMB representing our members to get them justice and compensation.

"After GMB representations, the ICO finally agreed to help us check against our own membership records to find our members on the blacklist. We found nearly 200 exact matches. However the ICO is now failing to cooperate with Leigh Day, our solicitors, preparing litigation to get them compensation at no cost to these members.

"There are a further 300 GMB members who may have been on the list but we need more information to assess this. We are using the next issue of our member's magazine to help us do this.

"GMB's priority now is to step up the campaign to get each and every GMB members blacklisted proper compensation.

"GMB is also still pushing ICO for a proactive action to inform all 3,213 builders that they are on the blacklist."

(CD/GK)