| The GMB has renewed a call for firms named in the long-running blacklising scandal not to be considered for publicly-funded work contracts until they apologise and compensate their victims. It comes after Labour-dominated Knowsley Borough Council on Merseyside voted last week to support the union’s campaign. In a statement, councillors said: “Owing to the concentration of construction activity in and around large cities, many of those alleged to have been discriminated against live in the country’s major cities, and undoubtedly this practice has disadvantaged residents of Knowsley.” It is known that more than 3,200 building industry workers were kept under surveillance by the now-defnct Consulting Association, which kept the blacklist on behalf of dozens of construction companies. So far, only 194 out of 3,213 workers know they were blacklisted and none have been compensated. Paul McCarthy, GMB regional secretary in the North West, said “This motion by Knowsley Council is an important step in getting an apology and compensation for the workers from Merseyside and the North West who have been victims of blacklisting. GMB will press on to get the support of other councils in the region for this stance.” Of 224 people who have been informed that their names were held on the Consulting Association blacklist, more than a dozen lived and worked in Liverpool or the Merseyside area. |