Stronger Action Against Blacklisting

At Monday evening's Policy & Resources Committee I was pleased that the council supported a motion which I put forward which called for stronger action against blacklisting.  I was pleased that we spoke with one voice giving greater protection to workers.

 

Back in August last year this committee approved an item put forward by Councillor Gordon and myself which made it clear that the council was opposed to blacklisting.

 

Since last August the Scottish Government has issued Scottish Procurement Policy Note 4/2013 entitled the exclusion from public contracts of companies which engage in blacklisting.

 

This is stronger than the position that we adopted last year and I think that we should follow the lead given in this Scottish Government policy note.

 

The key points of the note are as follows:

·       any company which engages in or has engaged in the blacklisting of employees or potential employees should be considered to have committed an act of grave misconduct in the course of its business and should be excluded from bidding for a public contract unless it can demonstrate that it has taken appropriate remedial steps;

This is an issue of fairness, it is an issue about ensuring that no-one is excluding from earning money on a contract funded by Dundee City Council because of their trade union membership or because they are concerned about health and safety.

 

This is about treating workers with respect and ensuring that we get value for money from public contracts and that they maximise the economic and social benefits which they bring.  I am glad to say that the  council again spoke with one voice on Monday night and supported the motion put forward by Councillor Brian Gordon and myself,