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Office Staff lose their jobs for Internet use Nine office workers employed by a Labour-run local authority have been lost their jobs after it was discovered that they were spending up to two hours a day on the internet auction site eBay. Three were sacked and six resigned when they were challenged and the employer produced logs of their Internet use. They worked at Neath Port Talbot Council in South Wales. This case highlights a trend. Employers are cracking down on unauthorised Internet use. Solidarity knows of several cases where employees face disciplinary action. In some of them there is a political element as the employer does not like the sites being looked at and in others the content of the sites is not an issue. Solidarity is naturally concerned by threats to the employment of its members. We call on major employers to take away the temptation of unauthorised Internet use by installing firewalls. Employers should take measures to bar access to all but approved sites and restrict personal use to break times in so far as possible. We also note that many employers take inadequate steps to inform staff of Internet use policy and ensure that it is properly understood. We believe that employers should obtain express consent from workers for any monitoring of emails or Internet use. In some cases the rules are not consistently applied and the policy is used as a stick to beat particular staff who are unpopular with the employer. This is wrong and we will seek to ensure that no one is singled out in this way. Our advice to members of Solidarity is simple, however. Don't use the Internet (whether for browsing the web or sending emails) for any private purpose whilst at work. We would advise you that you should assume that your Internet use would be monitored and that you have no privacy using a connection at work. We will advise and defend you if you get into hot water (as is our function) but prevention is better than cure - don't risk losing your employment. Use the Internet in your leisure time only.
Bosses pay rises double that of workers
Pay in the boardroom grew almost twice as fast as pay for those on the shopfloor last year. Direcotrs' pay increased by an average seven per cent while earnings of workers increased only by an average 3.7 per cent. The average chief executive of a FTSE 100 Index company earned £850,000 in basic salary and then got bonuses on top! Directors of the top 350 firms were typically granted share awards worth a potential 150 per cent of salary. Solidarity believes that when directors' full income is taken into account the disparity between them and the people who work for them is socially unjust. Another final salary pension scheme scrapped The maker of Imperial Leather soap is the latest employer to scrap a final salary pension scheme for its workers. PZ Cussons entered the list of shame by closing the scheme to both new and existing members in Britain. The Stockport-based company recently benefited from good results at its newly acquired Charles Worthington hair products brand. Not so good news for the 250 or so workers who now have bleaker pension prospects! Online Petition in support of Mark Walker An online petition has been started in support of Solidarity member Mark Walker. Mark has been suspended on full-pay from his job as a teacher at Sunnydale Community College. Ostensibly allegations concern unauthorised use of the Internet but there are also political undertones relating to his membership of the British National Party. The text reads as follows:- "To: Board of Governors Sunnydale Community College
We the undersigned support the right of Mark Walker to join and stand for public office as a member of any lawfully-constituted political party he chooses without it affecting his professional status as a teacher or his employment in Sunnydale Community College. Free speech and Freedom of Association are two of the cornerstones of our democratic society and must be supported without reservation. \n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
\u003c/a\>Â or text or ring \nPatrick Harrington at the number given at the end of this bulletin.\u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>\u003cbr\>\u003cstrong\>Mark Walker Protest Report\u003c/strong\>\u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>Â \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>Enclosed with this bulletin is a report of the protest in support of Mark \nWalker at the beginning of the month.",1] ); //--> We fear that his current suspension from work is politically-motivated rather than as a result of any minor offence he may have committed. We call upon the Board of Governors to reinstate Mr Walker to his position as a teacher in the school as we believe that the stresses and strains in the months since his suspension have been punishment enough for this dedicated and popular teacher. To avoid any suggestion of partiality, we further call upon the Board of Governors to set out staff internet access rights clearly in writing and in a specific school policy to allow for no doubt as to what it is permissible to browse and when; to obtain express consent from staff regarding monitoring of emails and internet use and to be consistent in the application of disciplinary action for all staff. We call for them to work with Solidarity Union representatives to reach an amicable and harmonious settlement of this long-running and acrimonious case. Sincerely," We suggest that you keep your email address private when signing the petition or viewable only by Petition organiser to avoid being added to spam lists.
Mark Walker Protest Report
Enclosed with this bulletin is a report of the protest in support of Mark Walker at the beginning of the month. Nuisance E-mails Some of our members have complained that they have received unsolicited emails from the Potter/Hawke faction. The Union Executive cannot comment on actions which we intend to take for legal and constitutional reasons. We do, however advise that members mark such emails as spam and report the fact that it is unsolicited to Hotmail (who host the email account). The reporting of spam differs from provider to provider. Here is how to do it in three common applications:- If you have a hotmail account Make sure that the checkbox of the offending message is selected
Select junk form the hotmail toolbar Outlook Express Make sure that the Junk Email reporting tool for Microsoft Office is installed (free download at www.microsoft.com)
Click Report as Junk & Delete Toolbar button
Click Yes if prompted Yahoo Check the box of the email you want to submit
Click the Spam button found next to delete
Click Mark Message as Spam button Accounts Our most recent accounts have been accepted by the Certification Office and published online and sent out with our last e-mail bulletin. They are enclosed with the postal version of this bulletin also.
Leaflets
Our main recruitment leaflet has just been reprinted so if you asked for extra copies in the last few weeks these will be with you soon. If any member has any administration problem feel free to email or you can ring or text Pat Harrington on 07794486858. He will ensure it is sorted out quickly.
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