Blacklisting: appeal tribunal to hear of ‘human rights scandal’

Construction firm Carillion faces allegations of human rights violations.

The allegations were raised in a blacklisting case on Tuesday of this week.

Dave Smith has won the right to a full Employment Appeal Tribunal of his case against Carrillion.

Dave Smith was repeatedly dismissed and refused work from building sites in London and Essex controlled by companies in the Carillion Group once his name appeared on the illegal Consulting Association blacklist.

In Dave’s Employment Tribunal in January the companies admitted in court to blacklisting him because he was a trade union safety representative.

He lost the case because he was not directly employed by the companies but via an agency.

Dave’s lawyers argued that existing UK law should be interpreted to uphold human rights—and extend protection to all “workers”, not just direct employees.

“I am taking this claim to highlight a major human rights scandal,” Dave said.

“Carillion is a multi-national corporation and seems to think it is above the law.”

• Over 70 people attended the rank and file construction workers conference in Glasgow last Saturday.

  They heard reports from different regions, including the electricians organising protests at Haverton Hill.

• Blacklisted safety rep Frank Morris was set to begin his Employment Tribunal against Crossrail in London on Wednesday of this week.

  Frank was sacked last year after raising concerns about safety. He says it is because he is on the blacklist.

• Claims that undercover police provided information on Consulting Association blacklist files are to be investigated as part of Operation Herne.

  This is an ongoing investigation into activities of the Special Branch’s deep undercover Special Demonstration Squad.

Blacklist Support Group AGM, Saturday 23 March, 10.30am, Faraday House, London WC1N3AE

With blacklisted workers, Unite general secretary Len McCluskey and GMB general secretary Paul Kenny