Telstra workplace privacy invasion (5 article excerpts)

[foreigncorrespondent]

Telstra keeping records of staff beliefs
The Age, August 31, 2005

Telstra keeps files on its employees religious beliefs and sexual orientation in order to protect the company, secret internal documents show.

Telstra has authorised spying on employees believed to be acting "in breach of an employment contract or in a way damaging to Telstra", the document obtained by News Ltd papers said.

"Employee records include sensitive employee records and records generated by employee monitoring and employee surveillance but exclude employee health information," the document said.

"Sensitive employee records means (records) that contain information or an opinion about an employee's racial or ethnic origin; political opinions; membership of a political association; religious beliefs or affiliations; philosophical beliefs; membership of a of a professional or trade association; membership of a trade union; sexual preference or practices or criminal record. ...

Full article:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Telstra-keeping-records-of-staff-beliefs/2005/08/31/1125302574040.html


Telstra denies staff spying
The Australian, September 1, 2005

TELSTRA has admitted collecting sensitive information on its staff, but was forced to assure workers they were not being spied on.

After The Australian obtained internal documents revealing the company could keep files on sexual preferences and religious and political beliefs, Telstra posted a memo to its 40,000 staff yesterday insisting it did not compile dirt files but admitting sensitive information could be collected "inadvertently". ...

A senior Telstra manager said staff found the surveillance policy "extremely disturbing".

The document, which Telstra admits is current policy, outlines how staff emails, internet use and phones can be monitored. It also lays out guidelines for video surveillance - including in toilets and changerooms - of staff suspected of acting illegally or in a way thought harmful to Telstra.

The revelations sparked outrage from unions and privacy campaigners...

Full article:
http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,16450286^15306^^nbv^,00.html


Nothing to fear from new surveillance Bill
idm.net.au, September 6, 2005

This is the message coming from security experts, who believe that the NSW Workplace Surveillance Bill, to be released in October, does not need to invoke fear, uncertainty and doubt into employees.

The bill was touted last year as a potential bridge between the employer and employee that will demand work place respect from workers and fairer treatment from organisations.

But some people feared it would provide a licence for employers to spy on them. Peter Croft, the managing director of Clearswift Asia Pacific, which provides content security software for email and web users, acted quickly to quell these fears. ...

NSW is going to be the blueprint for implementation of similar Acts around Australia. Victoria is next to follow, and then Queensland, until it is standard practice all around Australia. ...

Full article:
http://www.idm.net.au/story.asp?id=6645


Telstra can keep spy files secret
The Australian, September 5, 2005

TELSTRA staff can be refused access to personal files - potentially containing references to their sexual preferences and political and religious beliefs - if opening the dossiers is considered by management to be possibly damaging to the company. ...

(The documents) reveal that Telstra can withhold personal information on staff for a series of reasons, including if the request for access is considered "frivolous or vexatious".

The policy states that staff can be refused access to their file if "the information relates to existing or anticipated legal proceedings between Telstra and the individual". It says Telstra can prevent staff seeing their file if "providing access would reveal the intentions of Telstra in relation to negotiations with the individual". ...

While Telstra denied compiling "secret dossiers" on its 40,000 staff, it admits personal information - such as sexual practices and political beliefs - could be collected "inadvertently" ...

Full article:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,16492936^2702,00.html


Telstra’s prying habits haven’t crossed the Tasman
No snooping in NZ: TelstraClear
Computerworld, September 7, 2005

TelstraClear employees in New Zealand can rest assured that they are not subject to the invasions of privacy by parent company Telstra reported by The Australian. ...

TelstraClear spokesman Mathew Bolland says the New Zealand telco collects information directly relevant to the employee’s job, in terms of the Privacy Act. TelstraClear maintains a central employee information system, which staff can view, and managers have their own files related to things such as key performance indicators, which employees can also view, Bolland says.

In October, New South Wales will become the first Australian state to outlaw unauthorised surveillance of employees, using technologies that include video cameras, email and tracking devices.

The Workplace Surveillance Bill 2005 makes it a criminal offence to take part in any form of covert surveillance unless an employer can prove to a magistrate it has reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing.

Full article:
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/0/8F579F504728B709CC25707300182CCA?OpenDocument

[rooboy]

1. I have hated Telstra for close to 15 years now...

and to see them and John Howard bring each other to their knees is truly entertaining.

[Matilda]

2. If Telstra's doing this, what other big corporations are doing it too?

Thanks for putting this up, FC.

Did anybody say KGB?