“Blacklisting is still going on in Scotland and we need a full public inquiry to get to the bottom of this destructive practice that wrecks lives and victimises workers for seeking to do the right thing”.
That was the message from Neil Findlay MSP this week as union members came to the Scottish Parliament to highlight the ongoing issue of blacklisting.
Firms that blacklist are still being awarded public contracts by the Scottish Government and other public bodies. Scottish Government procurement rules were supposed to stop this. They haven’t.
Alex Rowley said:
“It is scandalous that these practices continue and we really need to see agreement from the government to stop such companies getting access to public contracts and looking at all legal options available to outlaw blacklisting once and for all.”
Scottish Labour has given a clear commitment to do just that. Leader Richard Leonard said:
“Victims of blacklisting not only had their livelihoods robbed but their lives changed forever by a secret conspiracy of defamation.
The unwillingness of the SNP, both in central and local government, to take action against companies found to have blacklisted, most of which continue to profit handsomely from taxpayer-funded contracts, is reprehensible.
Nicola Sturgeon not only voted against our plans to ban blacklisters from procuring contracts but when she was Cabinet Minister for Infrastructure she handed out government contracts to companies who used this disgraceful practice.
The truth is it isn’t enough to condemn blacklisting and do nothing about it. It is our duty as a Labour movement to challenge those in power and so win justice for all these working people who were wronged.”
