Alarm Over National Database Of Sacked Workers Makes Conference Agenda

Whilst Unionsafety reported on the issue of a national database being set up which allows vindictive employers to blacklist workers previously employed, compromising their ability of future employment, major media outlets ignored this appalling 'whispering campaign' type database. Only the BBC new website reported it and even then it was not a main headline new items, but buried within the site itself.

Providing no need of proof of guilt, or prosecution in the courts, employers can simply send the owners of this database details, including photograph, home address and other personal details to be held in the database for access by any business subscribing to it.

Employees who have never been accused in court of stealing or costing their employer money, and even those who simply resigned prior to a disciplinary case being raised will find themselves blacklisted nevertheless.

The issue has now been raised in the form of an emergency prop to this year's CWU Annual Conference being held in Liverpool 8th to 13th June.

Under Emergency motion E2 Solent Branch highlight the setting up of the National Staff Dismissal Register, condemning it and instructing the CWU NEC to:

" ......start a campaign immediately following conference for this intrusive scheme
to be stopped, that any such information be removed and destroyed and for legislation to be enacted to ensure such disreputable schemes are made unlawful."

Unionsafety, in its news item week of 8th May entitled, "Controversy Over Sacked Workers Database" concerned itself with the effect on the activities of Union Safety Reps and employees concerned about health & safety who may make a complaint to the authorities:

"For the H&S community serious concerns are being raised. Not only does it threaten the work of USRs and employees with concern for H&S, it creates an atmosphere of fear amongst employees. It will also encourage employers to dismiss and 'blacklist' as a vindictive response to an employee who has transgressed, whilst at the same time remaining outside of the law due to the adverse publicity reporting theft or dishonesty may bring to the company concerned.

The system holds details of individuals who have been dismissed (whether prosecuted or otherwise) or left the company whilst under suspicion of:

Of course this is just the current data held, and the possibility/probability of it being extended to add other criteria is extremely high."

It remains to be seen whether or not CWU Annual Conference carries Solent Branch's Emergency Motion and whether the media finally pick up on this issue, but rest assured the rest of the Trade Union movement will no doubt have this issue in it's sights.

Reports on this issue and other debates taking place at CWU Annual Conference will appear on this website as soon as possible next week.

Controversy Over Sacked Workers Database

Source: Unionsafety

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