Agenda item

‘Blacklisting’

It was moved by Councillor Chris Weldon, seconded by Councillor Bob Johnson, that this Council:-

(a)       reiterates its support for the motion passed on 7th November 2012 condemning the practice of blacklisting;

(b)       notes comments by the Prime Minister on 12th June this year “the Government not only doesn’t support blacklisting but has taken action against it”;

(c)        further notes the reaction of Unite Assistant General Secretary, Gail Cartmail to the Prime Minister’s comments:

"For Mr Cameron to claim the Tories have taken action against blacklisting is unbelievable and it's an insult to the victims. The Tories have done nothing to prevent blacklisting and Mr Cameron quite clearly opposes a full public inquiry.  The Tories are displaying staggering complacency when they should be supporting a proper inquiry into this proven conspiracy."; and

(d)       resolves to write to the Deputy Prime Minister urging him to raise this issue with the Prime Minister, seeking a full investigation into blacklisting.

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Colin Ross, seconded by Councillor Penny Baker, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by:-

1.         the deletion of the words “the Deputy Prime Minister urging him to raise this issue with” in paragraph (d)

On being put to the vote, the amendment was negatived. 

(Note: With the consent of the Council, and at the request of Councillor Colin Ross (the mover of the Amendment), the Amendment, as included in the List of Amendments, was altered by the deletion of part 2 of the Amendment.)

It was then moved by Councillor Ray Satur, seconded by Councillor Terry Fox, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of new paragraphs (e) to (g) as follows:-

(e)       welcomes the correspondence and actions of the Leader of the Council to arrange a meeting with the respective unions and Sheffield contractors to resolve issues surrounding blacklisting;

(f)        welcomes the inclusion of a clause in the procurement contract demonstrating the Council’s commitment to tacking action to address blacklisting; and

(g)       urges the Government to take similar actions to tackle blacklisting at a national level.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried.

The original Motion, as amended was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-

RESOLVED:  That this Council:-

(a)       reiterates its support for the motion passed on 7th November 2012 condemning the practice of blacklisting;

(b)       notes comments by the Prime Minister on 12th June this year “the Government not only doesn’t support blacklisting but has taken action against it”;

(c)        further notes the reaction of Unite Assistant General Secretary, Gail Cartmail to the Prime Minister’s comments:

"For Mr Cameron to claim the Tories have taken action against blacklisting is unbelievable and it's an insult to the victims. The Tories have done nothing to prevent blacklisting and Mr Cameron quite clearly opposes a full public inquiry.  The Tories are displaying staggering complacency when they should be supporting a proper inquiry into this proven conspiracy.";

(d)       resolves to write to the Deputy Prime Minister urging him to raise this issue with the Prime Minister, seeking a full investigation into blacklisting.

(e)       welcomes the correspondence and actions of the Leader of the Council to arrange a meeting with the respective unions and Sheffield contractors to resolve issues surrounding blacklisting;

(f)        welcomes the inclusion of a clause in the procurement contract demonstrating the Council’s commitment to tacking action to address blacklisting; and

(g)       urges the Government to take similar actions to tackle blacklisting at a national level.