New regulations have been introduced by the Government that make it illegal for trade union members to be denied work through the use of blacklists.

First announced last year, the regulations were put in place following a public consultation on the issue, which in turn was sparked by an incident in which evidence emerged that a number of employers in the public sector had been using blacklists to vet workers. Forty companies had subscribed to an illegal database to check worker’s union activities, which has since been shut down under data protection law.

The new regulations:

• Make it illegal for organisations to refuse to employ or dismiss workers due to their appearance on a blacklist.
• Make it illegal for employment agencies to refuse to provide services because an individual appears on a blacklist.
• Make provision for individuals or unions to pursue compensation or solicit action against those who compile, disseminate or utilise blacklists.

Lord Young, the employment relations minister, said: “Blacklisting someone because they are a member of a trade union is underhand, unfair and blights people’s lives.”

UCATT, the construction worker’s union, has already been critical of the regulations, calling them “weak” and stating that they fail to inform workers if they have been placed on a blacklist.

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