Unite the union has urged construction employers to enter into meaningful dialogue to prevent the proposed compensation scheme for blacklisted workers becoming a 'sham scheme' designed by employers to shirk their moral responsibilities.

Responding to reports that construction employers will be offering compensation payouts to blacklisted workers through a 'construction workers compensation scheme' Unite, is urging the eight construction employers involved to enter into meaningful negotiations with the unions to ensure that blacklisted workers are justly compensated for the destruction of their lives and the lives of their families.

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Unite assistant general secretary, Gail Cartmail said:"A cartel of 44 construction employers engaged in a conspiracy lasting decades to ruin lives and destroy families. Next year will be the fifth anniversary of the discovery of the blacklist yet progress to get justice for over 3000 workers on the list has been painfully slow.

"It still remains to be seen if just eight construction employers are genuine about negotiating with the unions in a meaningful way to ensure that the scheme does not become a sham allowing firms to shirk their moral obligations rather than properly compensate workers.

"Thousands of lives were ruined just because workers belonged to a trade union or raised health and safety concerns in the country's most dangerous industry."

(CD/MH)