Dow Chemical fires 50 workers after e-mail investigation (was Re: graag verder over teledemocratie)

[Henk Elegeert]

REPLY TO: D66 at nic.surfnet.nl

Cees de Groot schreef:
>
> REPLY TO: D66 at nic.surfnet.nl
>
> Henk Elegeert <HmjE at home.nl> said:
> >> >Derhalve meer persoonlijke vrijheid.
> >>
> >> Dat kan. Het hoeft niet.
> >
> >Mee eens. Privacy is een hot item en lastig te definieren.
> >
> Hoe vind je deze poging:
> http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue5_7/mann/index.html ?

Daar kom ik nog op terug, Cees, maar hoe vindt je deze....??

Dow Chemical fires 50 workers after e-mail investigation

http://www.sjmercury.com/svtech/news/breaking/merc/docs/067863.htm

"
Posted at 11:09 p.m. PDT Thursday, July 27, 2000
  DETROIT -- An investigation by The Dow Chemical Co. of employee e-mail
found that people at all levels of the plastics and chemicals
manufacturer had sent pornography and violent images from company
computers, leading to the firing of 50 workers and the disciplining of
200 others.

  ``We're not talking about personal uses of the computers and letters
to mom,'' said Eric Grates, spokesman for Dow's Michigan Operations.
``There was a whole range of things, from mild pornography to very
graphic pornography and some seriously violent images.''

  No material that could be classified as illegal was found, Grates said
on Thursday.

  The investigation by the nation's No. 2 chemical company was sparked
by an employee complaint in May. The Midland, Mich.-based company does
not monitor e-mail on a regular basis, Grates said.

  When officials looked into the complaint, it was determined that more
than one employee was involved. The company decided to look at all
e-mail use during one week in May, Grates said, to get a ``snapshot.''

  ``We have to protect our other employees,'' Grates said. ``This sort
of activity creates a harassment environment that we can't tolerate.''

  But a local union said the firings may not be fair.

  ``The union obviously doesn't condone or appreciate the material that
may have been sent across the e-mail system,'' said Kent Holsing, vice
president of the United Steelworkers of America local 12075. ``But we
believe the punishment may not fit the crime.''

  Roughly 20 members of the Steelworkers were fired and 42 suspended.
The union will investigate the firings to determine if legal action is
necessary, Holsing said.

  ``The community and neighbors and friends and family of these people
are being looked at as social deviants for sending pornography,''
Holsing said. ``Not everyone sent pornography.''

  Dow's Michigan Operations employs roughly 7,000 people at its
corporate headquarters and manufacturing plant in Midland. Worldwide,
Dow employs about 40,000 and makes hundreds of products, including
specialty chemicals and plastics.

  The New York Times fired 22 employees in Virginia last year for
passing around potentially offensive e-mails. Also last year, Xerox
Corp. fired 40 workers for spending work time -- in some cases up to
eight hours a day -- surfing pornographic and shopping sites on the Web.

  The company interviewed each employee before taking action, Grates
said. Employees who simply opened e-mails and deleted them were not in
trouble, he said.

  The problem was those who downloaded, saved and distributed
objectionable subject matter, he said.

  After Dow finished its audit in early June, a review board determined
the punishment, which could range from reprimands to suspension or
firing.

  All Dow workers who were suspended agreed to a special one-year
probationary period. Those who would not agree to the conditions of the
probation were fired, Grates said.

  Last March, employees were sent books that outlined company policies,
including the prohibition of computer use for personal and objectionable
subject matter, he said.

  ``It specifically discusses what is and is not tolerated,'' Grates
said.

  Dow announced July 7 that it was investigating the use of its
computers and e-mail system.

  Firing employees for accessing pornographic Web sites and distributing
offensive e-mail messages is not confined to Dow Chemical.
"

Ik vind dat je de privacy van je werknemers schendt op deze manier.
En een niet te tolereren inbreuk in de persoonlijke levensfeer bij
dezelfde werknemers.
E-mail en ook andere vormen van communcatie behoeren tot die
persoonlijke levensfeer, *omdat* het vormen van communicatie zijn.

"
``We have to protect our other employees,'' Grates said. ``This sort of
activity creates a harassment environment that we can't tolerate.''
"
is in die zin een uit zijn verband gerukte opmerking. Bovendien een
onbewezen stelling.
Daarnaast is iets niet toleren iets anders dan wat ze nu gedaan hebben.

Henk Elegeert

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