Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 21

Thread: We don't need no stinkin' security policy or AUP!

  1. #1
    Just a Virtualized Geek MrLinus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    Redondo Beach, CA
    Posts
    7,323

    Angry We don't need no stinkin' security policy or AUP!

    As a member of OPSEU, I'm rather appaulled at the stance by the union. It was just wrong that these people got away with what they did. What's worse is that the union is asking for them to get 3 years retroactive pay!?! Geesh. Did the crime should do the time.

    What killed me the most was this quote from the Globe and Mail:

    “There were no victims, they weren't e-mailing people in a harassing way, it wasn't child pornography, it was consensual among friends,” Mr. Eady said. “It's not an excuse for the conduct, but it does go to the penalty.”
    Right. So explain that to the person that might have seen it walking past their desk. Or the taxpayer that is paying for all this. Last time I checked, those computers, the time on the computers and the actually work cost someone. There are victims: The Ministry itself and the taxpayer who has to foot the bill.

    Source: The Toronto Star

    Minister 'not happy' workers must be rehired

    CANADIAN PRESS

    Ontario's minister of natural resources says he's "not happy" an arbitrator is forcing the government to rehire six workers who were fired three years ago for swapping pornographic e-mails at work.

    "To know that this number of employees were spending a part of their working day — sponsored by the taxpayers of Ontario — transferring this type of smut and filth that poisons the workplace and threatens and intimidates people is just wrong," David Ramsay said today.

    "I'm not happy with it and I'm not happy with the idea that we're going to have to take them back."

    The government doesn't have all the reasons behind the arbitrator's decision, and until then it can't decide whether it will appeal the ruling, he added.

    Ramsay also said he's not sure if the arbitrator will award the workers back pay for the three years since they were fired, nor does he know what kind of penalty these workers will face, although he said he hopes it is "stiff."

    Two of the fired workers are expected to be back on the job shortly, he said.

    In a ruling issued on June 18, the arbitrator found that although the six exchanged the e-mails, the government did not have just cause to fire them.

    Ramsay said 83 workers were disciplined in the case in 2001, with punishments ranging from letters of reprimand to firings.

    As a result of those decisions, the workers' union filed 27 grievances, with the firings being the first to be heard by the arbitrator.

    Don Eady, the lawyer for the Ontario Public Service Employees Union who represented the six fired workers, said the union always believed the workers had to be reprimanded, but that being fired was too harsh since they were all first-time offenders.
    Goodbye, Mittens (1992-2008). My pillow will be cold without your purring beside my head
    Extra! Extra! Get your FREE copy of Insight Newsletter||MsMittens' HomePage

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Texas!
    Posts
    271
    It of course should be up to the boss rather or not these people work there.

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Posts
    1,255
    In my opinion unions outlived their usefulness as soon as various provinces developed employee rights legislation. I've heard some shady things about how certain small-time non-union construction contractors have been treated to the point where in the papers a couple years back I read an article about how some guy had his site firebombed apparently by union members. It's believable, having lived in a union town for a few years.
    Chris Shepherd
    The Nelson-Shepherd cutoff: The point at which you realise someone is an idiot while trying to help them.
    \"Well as far as the spelling, I speak fluently both your native languages. Do you even can try spell mine ?\" -- Failed Insult
    Is your whole family retarded, or did they just catch it from you?

  4. #4
    AOs Resident Troll
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    3,152
    Ms Mittens

    Being a Canadian tax payer and working in the IT sector here in Canada I am too appaulled at this ruling.

    These people deserve to be fired for their actions, and wasting the taxpayers money browsing porn sites.

    This is not tolerated in the private sector...and should not be tolerated in the public.
    Union or no.

    The do not deserve retro pay...or their jobs back.

    The unions are out of control......I know they were established to protect to workers rights...but what about us taxpayers watch our hard earned tax dollars being pissed away..on porn!!!!

    Oohhhhhhhh...i am soooooo mad

    Think I will write my MP

    MLF
    How people treat you is their karma- how you react is yours-Wayne Dyer

  5. #5
    Just a Virtualized Geek MrLinus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    Redondo Beach, CA
    Posts
    7,323
    That'd be a good idea. What worries me the most is that this might set a precendent that will carry over to the private sector. It's hard enough for companies to convince members to not click on stuff that they shouldn't or to not forward that little 1MB chain-letter file to all 10,000 employees. Having something like this will only open the potential for admins to be powerless at controlling what happens on their networks.
    Goodbye, Mittens (1992-2008). My pillow will be cold without your purring beside my head
    Extra! Extra! Get your FREE copy of Insight Newsletter||MsMittens' HomePage

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Posts
    813
    Originally posted here by chsh
    In my opinion unions outlived their usefulness as soon as various provinces developed employee rights legislation. I've heard some shady things about how certain small-time non-union construction contractors have been treated to the point where in the papers a couple years back I read an article about how some guy had his site firebombed apparently by union members. It's believable, having lived in a union town for a few years.
    Well I guess since they have outlived their practical importance it is time to build new crime syndicates using this influence.

    Essentially I too think they should not be allowed back in. Although e-mails are private in nature what you do at your workplace is not [especially working in a Gov't agency]. So mixing the two is definitely not a good choice.

  7. #7
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Posts
    1,130
    porn, browsing at amazon.com, whatever.
    They are conduncing personal activities during working hours. I believe that just it can be considered motivation to fired those guys out.
    Meu sítio

    FORMAT C: Yes ...Yes??? ...Nooooo!!! ^C ^C ^C ^C ^C
    If I die before I sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to encrypt.
    If I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to brake.

  8. #8
    AOs Resident Troll
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    3,152
    You are so right Ms Mittens.

    I have trouble putting in Computer Usage Policies in the first place,...usually in small business
    "No...I dont think we need that. We are a small organization."

    Then they end up paying me to constantly clean out malware cause the users are visiting massivemammories.com.

    This is not good.
    How people treat you is their karma- how you react is yours-Wayne Dyer

  9. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    372
    that is a primary reason for a strong security policy that is put in place and that has to be signed/agreed to by the employee at hire date. If any changes occur to the policy then HR must send those changes out and give people a "drop dead" date to sign compliance to the policy.

    I'm a believer in good policy being in place to protect both the company AND the employees.

    Give a man a match and he will be warm for a while, light him on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life.

  10. #10
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Posts
    281
    As far as unions go there is a usefulness for them. However the usefulness does not include and business I run start or will be a part of. I am against unions and feel that although there was a point for them at one time that time is long gone. I feel that unions should have been dropped when equality happened.

    For example:

    It wasn't that long ago that blacks and women were being treated unfairly at work. However that time is over there are enough laws to protect these groups.

    I feel that because of these changes in laws (not unions) that may be the reason that people are becoming more equal in their everyday lives. Don't get me wrong there is still strong racism out there (and I hope that I live to see that end of it). But I have grandma's who still call blacks by their derogatory term. And even though they themselves are women they feel that it is not necessary for women to be in the workplace or to have "careers." They don't mean anything mean about it they just grew up in a time when it was normal to call them by these terms and do not see the 'wrongness' in using them.

    So to reiterate my point I believe that unions were effective at one time. This brings me to my next point:

    I feel that the business world has grown out of unions. I know they are still very effective in certain arenas but there will be less progress without unions.

    Example:

    Lets look at Microsoft you need to follow all the licensing and bullcrap and the enormous fees however with opensource you may still need to pay but there is more rrom for growth and no one is going to tell you what you have to do.

    Hope I didn't offend anyone, that was not my intent.

    - MilitantEidolon
    Yeah thats right........I said It!

    Ultimately everyone will have their own opinion--this is mine.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •