LONDON (Bloomberg) — The UK government is to introduce rules to stop companies refusing jobs to workers because they appear on lists of known trade union activists.

A consultation on the proposals will be rushed through in six weeks to enable the government to legislate in the fall, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in London said in an e-mail today.

"Blacklisting someone because they are a member of a trade union is totally unacceptable," Business Secretary Peter Mandelson said in the statement. "I am determined to act quickly to stamp out this despicable practice."

The proposed regulations will make it unlawful to refuse employment to a person because he or she appears on a blacklist of union activists. The rules will also allow individuals and unions to seek compensation from people who compile the lists.

The proposal was drafted after the information commissioner reported that 40 construction companies had subscribed to a database of union activists in order to vet potential workers.