Union Calls For Investigation Into Blacklisting

Construction union UCATT are calling for a full investigation into blacklisting on the Olympics after Balfour Beatty admitted it had conducted blacklisting checks on workers employed on the project.

When UCATT gave evidence to the Scottish Affairs Select Committee investigation into blacklisting last year they revealed the link between blacklisting and the Olympics.

UCATT revealed how invoices obtained from the Consulting Association showed a significant spike in blacklisting activity by Sir Robert McAlpine’s which coincided with the initial recruitment of workers employed on the Olympic Stadium.


When Ian Kerr the former head of the Consulting Association gave evidence to the Scottish Affairs Committee in November 2012 he said under oath that blacklisting had been conducted on the Olympics by Balfour Beatty, Sir Robert McAlpine and "possibly" Skanska.

Steve Murphy, General Secretary of UCATT, said: "Balfour Beatty's admission that blacklisting occurred on the Olympics is significant. However, this is far from the end of the story. We need a full investigation into the true level of blacklisting on the Olympics and other public projects. To find out who was involved and who knew about it. Blacklisted workers deserve the truth and they deserve justice."

Since giving evidence to the Scottish Affairs Select Committee UCATT has been in correspondence with Dennis Hone the Chief Executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority asking that he fully investigate blacklisting on the Olympics. Mr Hone has repeatedly denied that blacklisting occurred on the project.

(CD/GK)