GMB Aloud - Cry, Cry Crocodile Tears

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17 October 2014 | Updated 01 January 1970

The GMB union has organised what it terms a ‘Crocodile Tears’ national tour in an attempt to ‘shame’ those construction companies that kept a blacklists against 3,213 workers.

A total of 10 protest demonstrations are planned, starting in Darlington on Tuesday 21 October with a person in a crocodile suit accompanied by union members with flags and banners and slogans. Some of the demos will take place outside construction firms' head offices.

A High Court action in London has already begun, seeking compensation for 122 GMB members blacklisted by Carillion and other construction employers. The claims were served on 27 November 2013. GMB’s claims were joined with a further 449 claims by other unions and parties at a High Court Hearing in July 2014.

Talks between GMB and lawyers representing construction employers Balfour Beatty, Carillion, Costain, Kier, Laing O’Rourke, Sir Robert McAlpine, Skanska UK and VINCI on a compensation scheme for the 3,213 blacklisted workers broke down in June over the amount of money being put into the scheme by the employers.

The blacklisting became known in 2009, when a Consulting Association database of construction workers and environmental activists used by 44 companies to vet new recruits and keep out of employment trade union and health and safety activists, was released.

“These so-called HR Professionals, who ran the blacklists for the construction companies, knew exactly what they were doing and they need to either apologise, come clean and say what they did, or get used to accounting in public for the damage they did to those they blacklisted and their families,” said Justin Bowden, National Officer, GMB. 

Article written by Mike Gannon | Published 17 October 2014

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