Big Brother!

In an interesting but provocative move a local council imposed the use of C-Tracking Satellite systems in their vehicles in such departments as Refuse and Cleansing. UNISON opposed the use of such systems on the basis that the prior knowledge of the driver is required and that the information would be used by unscrupulous managers to effectively have staff electronically tagged.

One driver was called on his mobile phone whilst driving a cleansing vehicle (answering it is a disciplinary offence) and told he was doing 60 mph in a 40 mph zone and he should slow down and not answer his mobile phone in future whilst driving!

UNISON had no problem with the detail that this system can collate for business purposes, for example it can detail which bins have been emptied, how much weight is being collected as well as where the vehicles are. The union opposition was to the management's determination to be able to check the system and use any detail to discipline or bring members in on grounds of capability. UNISON also pointed out that the system had been introduced without prior knowledge of the driver and without any policy.

Predictably a hastily cobbled together policy was written, applied retrospectively and taken to the elected members who approved it, but only after UNISON had made very clear representations that the connection with disciplinaries was unnecessary as was the ability for managers to go on a 'fishing trip' for examples of misconduct. Eventually the policy was re-written to reflect the opposition and the tracking system cannot be used to find disciplinary evidence, but, can be examined by either the trade union or management where a case of serious misconduct is brought against a member.

The guidance on such 'tagging' mechanisms is scant, and the imposition caused much anger amongst our members who felt 'big brother' was watching over them. We will now wait and see how it will be used and whether the links with disciplinary will be abused. It would be interesting to know if other UNISON Members have come across this issue.