Taking Out The Trash

Blacklist inquiry calls on both sides of the border

A second Labour MP has called for a public inquiry into the construction industry blacklist and alleged links with the police and security services.

And now a motion has gone before the Scottish Parliament asking the government there to investigate.

Former Labour Cabinet Minister Michael Meacher MP (left) has written to the Home Secretary Theresa May demanding an inquiry into blacklisting. He has also asked her to refer the Consulting Association scandal to the Director of Public Prosecutions in order to prosecute the 44 construction firms involved in the illegal blacklisting of building workers.

Labour MP John McDonnell has also written to May calling for an inquiry. It follows allegations in The Observer of collusion between the police and the Consulting Association, which maintained the blacklist on behalf of construction companies.

David Clancy, an investigator from the Information Commissioner’s Office, gave evidence at a recent industrial tribunal that details in some of the files could only have come from state security sources.
Meanwhile the Scottish Government has been asked to mount its own investigation.

John Finnie, the SNP member for the Highlands and Islands (left), submitted a motion to the Scottish Parliament which said any collusion between the police and blacklisting was completely unacceptable. It was back by more than a dozen fellow MSPs.
The motion was amended by Labour MSP Drew Smith  (right) to “call on the Scottish Government to report to the Parliament on the question of whether territorial police forces or other agencies in Scotland have been involved in collating or passing on information that has been used to inform blacklists”.

(H/T to the Better Nation blog for the details on the Scottish blacklisting motion)

In These Times

The latest blacklisting revelations have made it across to America where the radical magazine In These Times carries a report by Michelle Chen.

For years, they wondered why they kept getting turned down for jobs, even when they seemed well qualified. The workers might have all just chalked it up to bad luck if they hadn’t eventually discovered they were at the center of an extraordinary conspiracy.

You can read the full article here.

The story continues to find its way into new outlets with the magazine Public Service also reporting the issue.

Call for inquiry into new blacklisting claims

Following the front page in The Observer at the weekend (with, cough, some material supplied by the author) Labour MP John McDonnell has written to the Home Secretary calling for a public inquiry.

Dear Home Secretary,

You will be aware of the article in the Observer on Sunday concerning the involvement of the Police and Security Services in the compilation of a blacklist of workers by the Consulting Association used to deny these workers access to employment.

The operation of the blacklist is contrary to law and morally reprehensible but to also discover that the Police and Security Services have been involved in the blacklisting process is extremely worrying and a matter of considerable public interest.

I am writing therefore to ask whether you are intending to make a statement to the House on this important issue.

I am also writing to urge you to establish an independent public inquiry into the operation of blacklisting in this country given that over 3200 workers were found to have been blacklisted and given the severe effect this has had on their lives.

I would welcome a prompt response to these questions.

Yours,

John McDonnell MP

Meanwhile Dave Smith from the Blacklist Support Group was on Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show yesterday lunchtime talking about the issue (fast forward to 36mins after Kate Bush).

For the sake of 'balance' I guess (or just because it would be boring to simply talk about an injustice, you need some controversy or because union members can't be allowed to talk unchallenged) they had an alternative point of view from Alex Singleton. He is a blogger with the Daily Mail having previously worked for the Telegraph. So when he said: "I think a blacklist is entirely sensible and quite reasonable." it wasn't that unexpected. It doesn't matter whether the implications have been thought through or the contradictions addressed. It's just enough to spout something controversial and get the phone lines buzzing. I don't blame Alex - he's doing what he's paid to do (and probably even believes). But the programme makers need to try a little harder.

Anyway: Alex appears to run two PR companies. One is Alex Singleton Associates and the other us Incorporated PR. I am sure that no firms implicated in the blacklisting scandal have been clients. He's very keen on freedom and liberty is Alex considering the number of organisations he is associated with that have the words freedom or liberty in their name or reason for existing. He jointly wrote a report for the Adam Smith Institute on Labour's first 500 days in office and its record on individual freedom. Seems slightly contradictory that the report should bemoan the fact that teenagers can't buy cigarettes and fox hunting bans but when people want to express their views on trade unions or health and safety they should be put on a blacklist. Perhaps personal freedom only extends so far as it doesn't impact on a corporation.

Ikea accused of using French police files to vet employees

Update March 15: The Guardian reports on the story. Better late than never I guess.

Update: French trade union files complaint (h/t @cheshire_puss).

Allegations a multinational used state security files to vet employees have emerged in France.

According to a Swedish news site, the furniture giant Ikea paid 80 euros a time to check the files which included details on political affiliations. Ikea said in a statement that it was investigating the claims.

The story can be read at The Local.

The allegations surfaced as a result of emails obtained by  the French satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaîné and investigative website Rue89. They say that the company used French security companies to gain access to documents held in the Système de traitement des infractions constatées (STIC). This centralized records system groups together data from police investigations, including both suspected criminals and their victims.

Accessing the documents without authorization is an offence.

When asked by myself about the vetting of potential staff in the UK, the IKEA UK Deputy Country Manager said in a statement (March 1): “The IKEA ethical business standards are crystal clear. We do business in an honest and straightforward way - no matter where we operate. Respect for one’s privacy is of highest importance for the IKEA Group and we strongly disapprove of any practices that would infringe on these values.

“In IKEA UK we only perform checks on predetermined co-worker and manager positions prior to their employment.  These are done with the individual’s permission and include standard Criminal Record Bureau, County Court Judgement and reference checks, all undertaken by a contracted specialist supplier in this field.  We do not use companies or individuals to gather any other information on potential or current employees and we would never ask for or keep hold of information on personal beliefs or political views.”

This is the entry for Ikea in the Information Commissioner's database of data controllers. Actually it does say it records employees "religious or other beliefs of a similar nature" but one could understand why that might be necessary for managing staff or knowing what the make-up of the company is.

(Cartoon from Insert Clever Title)