p>MPs have been scathing in their recent review of The Construction Workers Compensation Scheme (TCWCS). The scheme which was set up in 2014 was established to provide compensation to those construction workers whose lives have been adversely affected by the blacklisting in the construction industry which prevented certain workers from working on building sites in the UK.

 

Whilst claiming to have support of the unions, Member of Parliament on the Scottish Affairs Committee has argued that the TCWCS is just a “damage-limitation exercise” in order to prevent legal action.

 

As part of the final report of the committee in to the construction workers’ blacklisting scandal, the conclusions are:

 

  • * it was launched without the agreement of the trade unions (and its launch publicity attempted to mask that fact)
  • * the low levels of compensation being offered
  • * the fact that those participating in current High Court litigation are not eligible to access the scheme
  • * the scheme’s failure to incorporate any type of positive action measures to upskill and re-employ the victims of blacklisting.
 
Committee chair Ian Davidson MP said: "The unilateral introduction of a compensation scheme was an act of bad faith by those involved, likely to be motivated by a desire to minimise financial and reputational damage rather than being a genuine attempt to address the crimes of the past.

 

“To mislead MPs is a serious issue but to mislead blacklisted workers and their families by implying that the trade unions were in agreement with the scheme is both callous and manipulative.”

 

The contractors behind TCWCS are: Balfour Beatty, Carillion, Costain, Kier, Laing O’Rourke, Sir Robert McAlpine, Skanska UK and Vinci.

 

Mr Davidson continued: “While we are highly critical of the scheme and the way it was introduced, at least those eight companies have made even this effort. We do not accept the excuses made from the other companies for their non-participation and interpret this as evidence of their unwillingness to self-cleanse.

 

“Despite the grave flaws in the scheme, our main concern is that the victims of blacklisting receive at least some measure of compensation. The ICO should redouble its efforts to find and contact as many of the individuals whose names who were on the original TCA list as possible–including the families of those blacklisted workers who may have passed away.

 

“Given the denial and duplicitous practices we have encountered on the part of many of the companies who were complicit in blacklisting, we have no confidence in the sector to either self-cleanse on a voluntary basis nor to take sufficiently robust steps to eradicate the practice of blacklisting in the future. A voluntary code of conduct for pre-employment vetting in the construction company will not be sufficient. We must have a statutory with those firms who have refused to self-cleanse being banned from all contracts funded, in whole or in part, by public money code of practice.

 

“Despite the progress and positive steps which have been taken during the course of our inquiry, in this final report we have identified that many questions in relation to the practice of blacklisting remain unanswered, including the recent allegations in relation to police and security service involvement in blacklisting in the construction and other sectors.

 

“We are specifically concerned as to whether the extent and breadth of the practice is fully known, and whether this odious practice is ongoing within the construction industry. We are convinced that the only way to fully answer these questions is through a full public inquiry and we recommend that the government take immediate steps to launch one."

 

The committee’s report into the construction sector blacklisting scandal has been widely welcomed by unions representing construction workers.

 

GMB national officer Justin Bowden said: "This excellent report is to be welcomed for two key reasons: first, the fact that its very strong recommendations are made on a cross political party basis; second, the clear way it reflects how sick to death the MP's of all parties and everyone else is of the construction companies and their arrogant, bully boy attitude.

 

“The construction companies actions towards those they blacklisted since they got caught shows that they believe they did nothing wrong, membership of the Consulting Association shows how they believed that they were above the law and their attitude towards MP's shows that they believe they are above Parliament.

 

“Strip away the weasel words and crocodile tears from the blacklisting companies and their highly-paid entourage of spin doctors and lawyers and the simple truth is that MPs of all political parties involved in the Inquiry into Blacklisting in Employment do not trust the companies to eradicate blacklisting and do not believe they have, or will self-cleanse. The only way the questions posed by the Scottish Affairs Committee will get answered is from a full public inquiry."

 

Ucatt general secretary Steve Murphy said: “The Scottish Affairs select committee has condemned the counterfeit compensation scheme in the strongest possible terms. The scheme has no credibility and workers who have had their lives ruined have seen that TCWCS is simply a cheap way to gag them and deny them justice.

 

“Every week there are more grubby revelations about the involvement of the state in blacklisting. The only way we are going to get the truth is through a full public inquiry. This puts fresh pressure on the government to launch a public inquiry so workers and their families whose lives were ruined can learn the full truth once and for all.

 

“The work of the Scottish Affairs Committee and its Chair Ian Davidson MP in exposing blacklisting has been absolutely invaluable. Without the committee’s hard work, diligence and perseverance, the recent strides in unmasking the blacklisters and the slow battle to make them pay for their actions would have been impossible.”

 

It’s important that we move forward from the construction worker blacklisting scandal, which has affected every area of the industry, negatively impacting the image of the industry, the moral of construction workers and the demand for ancillary sectors including building supplies.