Ucatt welcomes employment law change on blacklisting

Posted 04/12/2009

The Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (Ucatt) has hailed the government’s plan to prohibit the blacklisting of workers under employment law.

Alan Ritchie, the union’s general secretary, has described as “disgraceful” the practice which allowed employers to discriminate against workers known to be involved in trade unions.

Under the new regulations, it will become a criminal offence to maintain a blacklist of this kind, while those named on such lists will be entitled to make compensation claims.

Mr Ritchie said the introduction of such laws is “long overdue” and vowed to work with the government to ensure the new employment law is suitably “robust”.

He added: “Never again must the lives of workers and their families be ruined because of blacklisting.”

This verdict was echoed by fellow trade union Unite, which expressed hope that the new regulations will help bring a permanent end to blacklisting.