A step closer to the end of blacklisting

Wednesday's announcement followed a consultation involving trade unions, employers and campaign groups and has been welcomed as a step in the right direction after years of campaigning by unions.

Concerns remain however that the recommendations do not go far enough in terms of making blacklisting a criminal offence and protecting workers' rights.

The consultation was brought following the scandal surrounding Ian Kerr and his firm the Consulting Association.

Mr Kerr was found to be in possession of an illegal database of 3,200 workers which identified communists, union shop stewards and other "troublemakers."

He sold it to construction firms including Balfour Beatty, McAlpine, Laing O'Rourke and Costain.

He was convicted of breach of data protection laws and fined £5,000 earlier this year.

Trade unions and campaigners argued that the sentence was far too lenient for a man who had destroyed hundreds of lives and called for the act of compiling or keeping a blacklist to be made illegal and punishable by prison.

The government response to the consultation and its proposed regulations on the matter were published by Employment Relations Minister Lord Young.

He said: "Blacklisting someone because they are a member of a trade union is totally unacceptable. The government is determined to stamp out this despicable practice."

He added that the key regulations would "make it unlawful for organisations to refuse employment or sack individuals as a result of appearing on a blacklist, make it unlawful for employment agencies to refuse to provide a service on the basis of appearing on a blacklist and enable individuals or unions to pursue compensation or solicit action against those who compile, distribute or use blacklists."

Construction union UCATT, while welcoming the announcement, said the proposed regulations must be tightened before they become law.

General secretary Alan Ritchie said: "Until early this year most major construction companies were involved in the blacklisting of workers.

"The introductions of laws which are designed to prevent blacklisting are welcome and long overdue. Never again must the lives of workers and their families be ruined because of blacklisting."

He added: "UCATT will be working with members of Parliament in order to ensure that, when the blacklisting regulations are finally introduced, they are as robust as possible."

And Families Against Corporate Killing spokeswoman Hilda Palmer said: "While it is a step in the right direction we do not feel it is sufficient.

"It only talks about trade union members - the regulations must refer to all workers.

"We also called for any firm found guilty of blacklisting to be debarred from bidding for government contracts and for penalties to be much more severe."