Fresh clash over blacklisting compensation scheme

Aaron Morby 9 years ago
Share

Construction unions have attempted to block moves by contractors to contact blacklisted workers over proposed compensation payouts.

Yesterday lawyers representing nine contractors involved in setting up The Construction Workers Compensation Scheme applied to the High Court to use the blacklisting database of 3,213 names to contact workers.

But unions UCATT, UNITE and GMB approached the High Court to block the move.

General Union GMB said that contractors were trying to press ahead unilaterally without union agreement on compensation terms.

Justin Bowden, GMB National Officer, said: “The same companies who ran and organised the Consulting Association have gone to the High Court to try and use the same information they used to blacklist in order to run their proposed compensation scheme.

Last week the Enquirer revealed that talks between the two sides were deadlocked over the terms of the basic compensation payouts.

The offer on the table from employers is said to be about £2,000 for anyone listed on The Consulting Association database.

Unions estimate this will cost the nine contractors behind the compensation scheme £15 to £20m.

A spokeswoman for The Construction Workers Compensation Schemes said: “The union action threatens to deny all those named in TCA records – whether affiliated to a union or not – the opportunity to seek compensation through The Construction Workers Compensation Scheme.

“Once finalised, it is designed to be a faster and easier alternative to pursuing their claims in the High Court.

She added: “The unions have known for nine months that the companies’ intended to launch the scheme and have been widely consulted.

“In fact, the scheme has been substantially revised to accommodate many of the wishes of the unions. We are therefore extremely disappointed by the action taken by the unions today in their attempt to block the compensation scheme.

“Without the High Court order, there is a risk that people will be denied the choice between the compensation scheme and the less certain court process.”

The High Court order seeks to restrict use of the data specifically to the administration of the scheme and will not be used outside of the scheme.

The court has adjourned a decision until 10 July.

Last October Balfour Beatty, Carillion, Costain, Kier, Laing O’Rourke, Sir Robert McAlpine, Skanska UK and Vinci announced plans to set up the compensation scheme for victims of blacklisting.

So far 1,724 out of the 3,213 on the list know they were on the blacklist.

Several hundred of these 467 are covered by separate claims brought by the unions in the High Court.

 

Latest news

HS2 Euston needs full design reset as costs set to double

Spending watchdog warns Euston stop-start delay will simply inflate already ballooning costs
2 hours ago

Bid rigging: Keltbray to appeal and so could Squibb

Both contractors "disappointed" with level of fines
3 days ago

Ten demolition firms fined £60m for bid rigging

Full details of fines with Erith and Keltbray hardest hit
4 days ago

Retail contractor J M Scully files administration notice

£23m turnover Dorset based contractor lodges court notice
3 days ago

Civils specialist M Lambe delivers record performance

Housing civils specialist seeks to diversify in face of challenging housing market
3 days ago

Willmott Dixon clinches £60m Oxford Brookes University job

Preparation work starts on two new buildings at Headington Hill campus
3 days ago

Ferns seals £50m+ Openreach network services deal

Five-year south west deal to provide civils, poling and complex manhole programme
3 days ago

20 firms win £4.5bn Southern construction framework

A dozen new firms secure spots on fifth generation public sector deal
4 days ago

Call grows for bolder 18m second staircase rule for flats

Architects, surveyors and builders professional trade bodies demand lower height threshold than proposed 30m
4 days ago

GRS Roadstone warns staff following cyber attack

Materials giant sends out letters highlighting the extent of the attack
4 days ago

Inland Homes to suspend shares as results delayed again

Auditors need more time to go through embattled house builder's books
4 days ago

Kier wins £73m Southport events centre job

Local supply chain set to benefit from major new project
4 days ago

Multiplex profit rebounds as margin restored to 2.9%

London tower builder predicts return to revenue growth this year as major schemes advance
4 days ago

Upbeat Vistry to re-open mothballed offsite factory

Former Countryside timber panel factories rebranded Vistry Works in revived drive to deliver 5,000 units a year
5 days ago

Builder crushed and blinded in wall collapse

Property owner in court after barn conversion goes horribly wrong
4 days ago

Keltbray bags £140m haul of energy infrastructure work

Specialist secures trio of power frameworks, two battery storage facilities and an energy from waste package
5 days ago

Government awards £1.8bn for energy retrofit schemes – list

Housing and public building decarbonising funds awards to support 20,000 construction jobs
5 days ago

Landmark London scheme switches from flats to student rooms

Regal London rethinks Old Kent Road scheme with 900 student rooms and 220 affordable homes
5 days ago

Align reveals designs for final portal of HS2 tunnel

Contractor confirms how final key structure on project will look
5 days ago

Plans in for 1.4m sq ft of industrial space at Fiddlers Ferry

Peel NRE to appoint demolition contractors for coal-fired power station in weeks
5 days ago

Tilbury Douglas to replace hospital hit by weak concrete

Stoke-on-Trent outpatients building containing Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete to be replaced
6 days ago

Derby picked as destination for Great British Railways HQ

Public vote secures Derby's bid to be nerve centre of the rail industry
6 days ago

London tower over historic Leadenhall market approved

Building work to start in 2025 on 32-storey tower by historic city market
6 days ago

PfH starts race for £520m housing decarbonising deal

Four-year framework covers service specific lots from £5m to £100m
6 days ago

“Rock solid” balance sheet and record results for Henry Boot

Firm sees early signs of recovery this year in core markets
6 days ago

£200m Edinburgh Haymarket office and hotel approved

Haymarket Yards scheme to move to construction in 2024
6 days ago

Countryside closes deal for £80m build to rent homes

Deal with private rental developer Sigma to speed up delivery at two sites
6 days ago

Wates commercial director joins Caddick

Neil Trubshaw one of a string of appointments as contractor looks to expand across the north
6 days ago

Fusion21 names 16 winners for £125m painting framework

Latest deal will last four-years for public sector clients
6 days ago

Watkin Jones breaks ground on Cardiff 700 flats scheme

Largest build-to-rent scheme in Wales gets underway
7 days ago

Contractor services