The Highland Council has welcomed a breakthrough in a campaign to outlaw the compilation of construction industry blacklists.

The blacklists consist of details and covertly gathered information on construction trade unionism and the employment history of employees.

Eight large construction firms have now said they plan to compensate workers who were unlawfully blacklisted and denied work for long periods due to a result of being blacklisted.

The companies in question have also issued apologies to those whose names were stored as part of a secret database of workers.

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At a recent meeting, the three leaders of The Highland Council - Leader Drew Hendry, Depute Leader David Alston and Convener Jimmy Gray - presented a notice of motion strongly opposing blacklisting. The motion was unanimously supported.

Councillor Alston said: "I am pleased to see that there is growing recognition by the construction industry that this practice was unacceptable. Firms admitting they engaged in an abuse of the civil rights of thousands of UK workers is an important step, which I hope will turn into practical action to compensate those who were victimised. It is important that other companies now follow this lead."

More than 40 firms within the construction sector are said to have funded an agency that kept files on more than 3,200 workers that were 'blacklisted'. Many said they had been barred from working on jobs after they had raised legitimate concerns about health and safety on building sites.

The blacklisting agency operated for 15 years until it was raided and closed down in 2009.

(JP/IT)