Bristol builders blacklisted from Cabot Circus

Builders and electricians who were members of trade unions were banned from taking part in the building of Cabot Circus, it has emerged.

The director of construction giant McAlpine has admitted that before employing workers on the site, the firm ran all job applications past the Consulting Association, owners of the illegal 'blacklist'.

The blacklist contains the names of at least 3,000 trade union members, health and safety reps and others, including one charitable person who was collecting signatures for a homelessness petition.

Employers would use the list to root out 'trouble-makers', devastating workers' lives as they were unable to find employment in the industry ever again.

Callum McAlpine made the admission earlier this year when he appeared before the House of Commons Scottish Select Affairs Committee.

The negative effect blacklisting has on health and safety in the workplace will feature in the South West TUC's historic event to commemorate Workers' Memorial Day in Bristol on Sunday.

The event, held in Bristol Cathedral from 1 to 2pm, will serve to remember those who have been killed or injured during the course of their work, and to campaign for better health and safety laws in the workplace.

Speakers at the event include Dave Smith from the Blacklist Support Group, NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet, Julia Verne from the South West Public Health Observatory, Farzana Saker from Bristol Multi-Faith Forum and Canon Tim Higgins.

The BBC's Sally Challoner will interview the families of people who have died as a result of their work, and hear from a trade union official about how the government's loosening of health and safety laws is imperilling workers.

Nigel Costley said: 'We'll probably never know how many Bristol workers - and their families - have suffered as a result of the blacklist. It is astonishing to think that honest workers in this city have been refused work simply because they blew the whistle on health and safety concerns.

'The government takes a dim view of health and safety, taking every opportunity to cut red tape, allowing employers to cut corners and take risks with their employee's safety.'

Latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show sixteen people in the South West died because of their work between 2011 and 2012, with 4,230 workers being injured during the same period.