LIKE Tom Hanley, I was really pleased to see a series of legal successes related to building workers, many from the North West who have been the victims of unlawful employment practices by bosses in the construction industry.

For years, more than 30 companies have held secret "blacklists" of active trade union members, actively preventing them from getting work. In most cases their only “crime” was to arrange a health and safety inspection or organise a union meeting. Secret information on workers was shared between company bosses who conspired to exclude certain people from working on building sites across the UK. Thanks to successful campaigns and legal cases by UCATT, GMB and UNITE trade unions, many blacklisted workers have now been vindicated. The basic principle of unions right to organise and represent members has been defended. Any compensation for loss of earnings is well deserved.

Joan Pritchard-Jones

Bolton