
Issue No 72		06 October 2000

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News

Big Brother Unwelcome In Child Care Centres

Kiddie-webcams, which allow working parents to log onto a website to see their children in child care centres, have become the focus of a workplace surveillance controversy.

The child care webcams are also raising concerns over the misuse of children's pictures by paedophiles who may hack into the web site.

Child care workers are outraged about the surveillance, which they see as an invasion to their privacy, and have called on their union, the LHMU, to actively campaign against the introduction of the webcams.

" Our members are warning parents that this so-called innovation is actually an invasion of their child's rights," Sue Deveraux from the LHMU's WA branch said.

" Anyone who knows anything about the 'net knows there are few real guarantees of security.

" There is no guarantee that only parents will have access to the images from a centre with a camera installed."

Union members raised the alarm after a West Australian businessman started offering to install Kindercam to child care centres, and giving parents access to the site for $1 a day.

" No other workers in Australia are under constant video surveillance by their clients," Ms Deveraux, the child care organiser for the WA branch said.

" Our members are blowing the whistle on any centre which wants to install web cameras - and invade the workers' right to privacy."

The 'net is a very real threat to workers privacy.

It has become the 21st century campaign issue with organising drives by unions in Australia and overseas among workers concerned that their bosses are misusing the technology.

There is a growing international trend to use 'net based surveillance technology.

Probably the most common application of this technology in the USA is childcare observation - and coming a close second is workplace surveillance.

Companies with names like CareCam, Kidvision, CareView and Kindercam are busy offering their services, around the globe, to child care centres.

Now, in Australia, Kindercam has arrived to offer this internet-based child monitoring program as an innovative marketing tool to sell more security to worried working parents.

The introduction of webcams for child care centres, potentially, opens a legal minefield. In most states it is against the law to take pictures of children at a child care centre, without the prior written approval of parents.

In NSW the State Government is considering both online rights legislation and new workplace surveillance laws after unions, including the LHMU, expressed concern about employer misuse of the 'net.

The webcam issue, raised by the LHMU, has caught on in the media. Newspapers and radio, in a number of states, have reported the controversy, and this union's concerns.

The Child Care Centres Association of Victoria's chief executive, Frank Cusmano, is quoted by Melbourne's Herald Sun, as concurring with the union campaign highlighting the real security and staff privacy concerns.

In Perth the executive officer of the Child Care Association of WA, Graeme Winters, told The West Australian, after Sue Deveraux from the LHMU raised the alarm, that it was understandable that the workers had some concerns.

He said he did not really see the need for the service because parents were welcome to visit centres and spend time with their children.

" I would not have thought there was demonstrated demand for that sort of surveillance," Mr Win

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Issue 72 contents

Interview: Taking It To The Union Busters
ACTU Assistant Secretary Richard Marles talks to Workers Online about turning back the anti-union sentiment growing in the business community, responsible unionism and the sense of fun to be found at the ACTU.

International: The White Knights
The International Labour Organisation has become the great hope for those fighting to give globalisation a human face. Australian Bob Kyloh is one of those working with trade unions within the ILO to make it happen.

Politics: Industrial Democracy for Australia
Glenn Patmore argues we need new forms of employee representation in the workplace to broaden employee participation.

Unions: Behind The Scenes
In a small office at Homebush Bay, as the world focused on all that was positive about our games, Unions 2000 and SOCOG officials worked tirelessly to ensure that no worker was ripped off. Chris Christoudoulou reports.

Satire: Parade of Icons �Could Have Included Even More Ex-Aussies� Say Critics
The selection of Greg Norman, Paul Hogan and Elle Macpherson to represent Australia in the �Parade of Icons� during the Closing Ceremony of the Sydney Games last night has prompted a storm of complaints from other famous former Australians.

Review: Elliott Smiths Figure 8
Smith is basically the secret love child of the fab four and it�s so blatantly obvious. That�s not a bad thing because one thing Lennon and McCartney were reknown for was there ability to pen catchy tunes.

» Interstate Rail Workers Rebel Against AWAs

» Australia Post Exposes Staff to Bomb Danger

» Alliance Builds Against Commonwealth Bank

» Carr Lauds Union Movement For Golden Olympics

» Big Brother Unwelcome In Child Care Centres

» Council Workers Win Community Language Allowance

» Fiji Facing Dictatorship

» Home Care Win Recognises Community Contribution

» Pressures Mount on Truckies

» Industrial Action Looms At IBM Global

» In Your Face Provocateurs

» Putting A Stop To Workplace Intimidation

» Australian History To Be Buried Alive