Heating and Ventilating

A prospective head of the trade union giant UCATT has lodged a legal claim against Sir Robert McAlpine, after discovering he was one of 3,213 workers added to a blacklist.
Mick Dooley, who is hoping to become the next general secretary of UCATT, (Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians), has lodged a claim against Sir Robert McAlpine with the employment tribunal on April 29.

Compiled by the Consulting Association, the blacklist contained personal data and comments about 3,213 construction workers and was accessed by several construction contractors.

The blacklist was discovered following raids of the Consulting Association's premises by investigators from the Information Commisioner's Office(ICO).

Dooley said: 'I contacted the ICO and found out I was on the blacklist. I got my file and my father's name was mentioned in it. The man fought in the war against Nazis, against tyranny, so that we could live in a free country and not have our names on blacklists'.

The ICO's investigations into the potential use of the list by 40 construction companies is ongoing.

Ian Kerr, the head of the Consulting Association, is scheduled to appear at Macclesfield Magistrates court on May 27 on charges of failing to notify as a data collector under section 17 of the Data Protection Act. If found guilty he faces a maximum fine of £5,000.

Sir Robert McAlpine was unavailable for comment.