Unions jump on lack of email privacy

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

Nice to know the Unions are on top of this issue.

ABC
http://www.abc.net.au/news/98/10/09/981009_43.htm

Unions urge regulation of e-mail taps
Fri, 9 Oct 1998
Unions are calling on the Carr Government to regulate phone and
e-mail taps in the workplace.

The New South Wales Labour Council says it has received numerous
complaints about employers intercepting staff e-mails and telephone
calls.

It will ask the Industrial Relations Minister, Jeff Shaw, to
consider ways to protect the rights and privacy of workers, at the
same time ensuring staff have a clear understanding of their
responsibilities.

Council secretary Michael Costa says e-mails are a modern form of
face-to-face conversations.

"We've had evidence that private e-mails, what the employee regarded
as private e-mails, have been used as part of disciplinary
procedures," Mr Costa said.

"The reaction was outrage - the same reaction that any sensible
human being living in the electronic age would have where what they
believed was private communication then becomes public
communication." 

-- 
Email appeals to my view of life as a contest for connections to
others. When I see that I have 15 messages, I feel loved.
-- Deborah Tannen.

Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Canberra Australia
brd@dynamite.com.au