Solicitors Guney, Clark and Ryan are acting for more than 100 construction workers who launched the compensation claim last year.

The claim was against McAlpine who were defending the action on their own.

The company told the Enquirer: “Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd can confirm that it has issued Part 20 Claims against nine construction groups in relation to its on-going defence of allegations of ‘blacklisting’ of workers in the industry.

“Sir Robert McAlpine believes that all of the companies that have been served these legal documents were participants in The Consulting Association and all will join Sir Robert McAlpine as co-defendants in the action brought by a small number of construction workers.”

The claims are against nine major contractors but add-up to 34 names when subsidiary firms are included.

The firms are Balfour Beatty, BAM, Carillion, Costain, Laing O’Rourke, Kier, Skanska, Vinci and AMEC

Steve Acheson, spokesperson for the Blacklist Support Group said: “The entire construction industry is now on trial in the High Court.”

Sean Curran, partner at Guney, Clark and Ryan solicitors said: “We are very happy that the action is now progressing through the court system.

“Ultimately we look forward to the day we obtain redress on behalf of our clients and in doing so, ensuring they can move on with their careers and personal lives without this experience continuing to blight them”