News

Canon Proposal to Introduce GPS

Details

Published on Friday, 23 December, 2011

ASU Delegates have raised serious and justified concerns after Canon announced that a business case is being conducted in relation to putting GPS into the vehicles for FBT reporting purposes.

A petition is circulating along with this bulletin demanding that Canon:

1. Observe previous commitments that there is no intention to introduce GPS and/or other tracking systems and;

2. That Canon management agree to include a clause in the next EBA that there will be no introduction of GPS and/or other tracking systems without the approval of all employees and the ASU and;

3. Withdraw the current proposal to introduce GPS.

A National Consultative Committee meeting with Canon management was held on Monday 19th December who stated that they wanted GPS to:

1. Improve efficiency
2. Tax savings on FBT
3. As an ancillary in disciplinary procedures.

Management also mentioned that once consent is given to install GPS, it cannot be withdrawn.

Canon have released a draft policy for GPS use. The policy does not even begin to address ASU members’ concerns on issues of the level of trust Technicians are entitled to expect from Canon, the workplace privacy of Technicians, not to mention Technicians’ privacy when not at work. There is also the potential use of GPS for performance management purposes as well as disciplinary procedures.

The use of GPS is so flawed, and the claimed benefits so minor that it is hard to understand why Cannon want to introduce it other than to monitor Technicians ever more closely and to wring every last drop of “productivity” at the expense of a loyal work force.

The breach of trust by Canon in having big brother keep an eye on Technicians effectively 24 hours, seven days a week is the most offensive aspect of this. Technicians have provided loyal service to Canon, in some instances for more than twenty years. Unfortunately with Canon this loyalty is a one way street, so why should Technicians have any confidence that Canon management will not arbitrarily alter the policy or use the GPS to gain background information as a basis to collect further information to be used in disciplinary procedures.

It is for this reason that Technicians are justified in flat out rejecting this attempt at playing big brother by Canon. Even the so called “privacy” button really only regulates the level of management at Canon that has access to the information collected. The prudent decision for Technicians is to refuse to allow GPS into their vehicles.

Each state as well as the national government have a Surveillance Devices Act or similar laws. In Western Australia the Act is very clear in allowing Technicians to refuse to have GPS devices installed in their vehicles. In this situation Canon should treat all Technicians equally and if one state does not have GPS installed then none of the states should.

The next National Consultative Committee meeting will be on Monday 23rd January 2012 so if you have any issues that Canon need to address contact your Union delegate or Union organiser Lauren Hutchins: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.