黑洞社区

A Unite official has accused his union of colluding with companies in the blacklisting of construction workers.

During a speech to Unite鈥檚 annual conference in Manchester last week, branch secretary Steve Acheson called for the union to investigate the role its officials played in blacklisting, and why private correspondence from members to union officials appeared in files held by Ian Kerr鈥檚 Consulting Association, which operated a blacklist for more than 15 years.

Acheson was one of the workers interviewed a year ago by the Information Commissioner鈥檚 Office (ICO) during an investigation that led to the prosecution of Kerr, whose blacklist was paid for by leading contractors.

His accusation comes as a Consulting Association file on one electrician, seen by 黑洞社区, states that he was 鈥渘ot recommended by amicus [sic]鈥� for work on Heathrow鈥檚 Terminal 5 in 2005. Amicus merged with the T&G Union to form Unite in 2007.

The file also states the electrician was not 鈥渁n activist鈥� but was considered to be a risk to employ 鈥渂ecause of his knowledge of his rights under the JIB [Joint Industry Board]鈥�.

The electrician has since left the UK after being unable to get work on projects regulated by the electrical sector鈥檚 JIB.

Another file stated that information about one worker鈥檚 union activities had come from 鈥渁 retired AEEU official鈥� - which was the electricians鈥� union before it became Amicus - and contained details of correspondence between the worker and union officials.

Acheson鈥檚 claims come a week after the ICO said it was launching an inquiry into whether employers were operating a new blacklist.

A spokesperson for the ICO said: 鈥淭he focus of our inquiry was the construction firms, not individual participation.鈥�
Unite was unavailable for comment.