13 February 2013

As many as 507 construction workers living or working in the north-west were blacklisted by the Consulting Association.

This is according to new figures from construction union GMB, which revealed that the worst affected areas were Manchester and Liverpool, each of which were home or workplaces to around a fifth of all blacklisted employees in the region.

However, no area went without being affected by blacklisting, including across Cumbria, Lancashire, Cheshire and Merseyside.

"People have been deprived of an honest living through these illegal tactics, which has blighted their families' lives," GMB General Secretary Paul Kenny said. "They have been the victims of injustice over many years by multi-national companies - now seeking to live off public sector contracts."

GMB is seeking construction workers who worked for Carillion or its companies - which include Crown House, SkyBlue Employment Agency, Schal International, John Mowlem and Tarmac - to get in contact with the union, as they are attempting to win compensation for their members.

Those who have worked for any of the other 44 companies found to have used the Consulting Association should also get in touch.

Fewer than 10% of blacklisted workers in the north-west know they have been blacklisted and only 194 of the 3,213 people blacklisted across the UK were aware of that fact by autumn 2012.

Click here to read more on blacklisting