Angry rights campaigners descended upon a Darlington office yesterday in protest at a director’s alleged involvement in the scandalous practice of blacklisting.

Engineering and construction firm Cleveland Bridge personnel director Lynne Day was the target.

The Star understands that despite Ms Day’s history, she is a member of the regional employment tribunal that deals with blacklisting cases.

And astonishingly she was today due to attend a training course on how to deal with victimisation claims.

And another demonstration is due in Leeds today in a rolling programme of protests organised by general union GMB.

They will be held outside the workplaces of people identified as having taken part in the Consulting Association blacklisting system exposed by a government raid in 2009.

Today’s target is Department of Work and Pensions human resources manager Valerie Bennison, from its Leeds headquarters.

GMB said Valerie Bennison was human resources manager at Whessoe Oil and Gas between May 2004 and November 2007.

“She has yet to come clean and apologise for her part in the hurt and damage caused by her former employer Whessoe Oil and Gas, which was involved in blacklisting at least 22 workers,” said GMB.

The rolling protests have been named the “Crocodile Tears” tour, targeting managers who have yet to admit their involvement in blacklisting workers.

GMB has also condemned the “Nuremberg defence” wheeled out by some of the culprits, who claimed they were “only obeying orders” — the excuse used by nazis guilty of war crimes during World War II.

The union will name and shame 63 construction industry managers involved in the blacklisting scandal.

“Valerie Bennison and the rest might have thought they had got away scot-free, so shedding crocodile tears now for the systematic blacklisting of 3,213 building workers and environmentalists won’t wash,” said GMB national officer Justin Bowden.

“Neither will the Nuremberg defence of ‘just following superior orders’.”

Labour has pledged a public inquiry into blacklisting if elected next year.

Today’s Leeds protest takes place at 11am.