PROTECTION OF PRIVACY POLICY

Local 213 of the IBEW respects the privacy of its members and website users. We are committed to protecting the privacy of the personal information we gather and retain for administrative purposes. If you have privacy questions, complaints, or concerns; please contact:

Privacy Officer Gord Van Dyck
4220 Norland Avenue, Burnaby, BC V5G 3X2
E-mail: local213@shaw.ca

This policy is a work in progress. We are reviewing our information management practices and policies to identify opportunities for enhancing security and reducing the amount  of personal information we collect or retain.   Accordingly, the policies and practices described below are subject to amendment. We will post any changes here so our members and website users know what personal information we gather and why we gather it, how we use this information, how we protect it, what personal information we might share with third parties, and to whom we might disclose this information.                             

Collection and Use of PERSONAL Information

Member Information
Local 213 only collects personal information that it requires. This information includes a member's name, address, e-mail address, telephone and/or facsimile number(s), social insurance number, gender, date of birth, date of union membership, occupation, employer's name, date of hire or dispatch, and record of financial contributions to the union. We use the contact information to communicate with our members by e-mail, telephone, fax, and post. We use the statistical information to track and report dues payments, determine eligibility for dispatch, resolve seniority issues, apply for certification, develop policies, and determine voter eligibility and standing.

Additional information is collected if members become involved in a grievance, labour relations board application, workers' compensation board proceeding, or Local 213 trial as an appellant, witness, or affected party. In these instances, Local 213 collects whatever personal information is necessary for the proceeding and its archive of potential evidence about collective bargaining, board, employer, and union practices and precedents for use in future proceedings.

Currently, some individual staff members separately collect and retain contact information with respect to the persons with whom they routinely communicate.  This information is comprised of names, addresses, and telephone numbers.

User Information
Local 213's web server at Infosaic Web Technologies, LLC, may collect the IP address and domain you are using to access its website; the type and version of web browser and operating system you are using; the number, duration, and frequency of visits to our website; and the identities of the websites you came from and visit next. However, this information cannot be traced to individual users, and they visit our website without telling us who they are or revealing any personal information, including their e-mail addresses. Local 213 uses this information to monitor website performance, plan website improvements, and track information in aggregate form.

Users who choose to contact Local 213 using our Contact Form provide their name, e-mail address, telephone number, and the name of their employer. Local 213 may use this information to communicate with the user by e-mail or telephone and for strategic planning.

Disclosure

Member Information
Local 213 discloses some or all of the personal information it has about its members on a need-to-know basis to the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, Human Resources and Development Canada, British Columbia Labour Relations Board, Canada Labour Relations Board, International Office of the the IBEW, Local 213 Electrical Workers' Welfare and Pension Plans, ECA/Local 213 of the IBEW  Joint Training Committee, your employer, and/or the business offices of other IBEW local unions in Canada and the United States. Except as hereinafter described, Local 213 does not disclose a member's personal information to other members or to any additional agencies or organizations without obtaining separate and express permission to do so from the affected member.

Local 213 discloses the information it collects with respect to grievance, board, and trial proceedings to the adjudicator and opposing party or parties. Some or all of this information might become public information if the adjudicator issues an award or decision.

If members are eligible for hiring hall dispatches, their name, the date of their dispatch, the name of the work location and employer to which they were dispatched, and their trade designation are recorded in a book that can be viewed by other members.

Local 213 employs information systems consultants to build and maintain its information systems. Due to the nature of their work, these organizations have access to our members' personal information. Accordingly, Local 213 requires such organizations to provide an assurance that they will not retain or disclose this information. Currently, our information systems consultants are SOJ Consulting Group and Silk Systems Inc.

User Information
Local 213 may share or disclose information about its website users (in aggregate form) on a need-to-know basis with its information system consultants, the International Office of the the IBEW, Local 213 Electrical Workers' Welfare and Pension Plans, ECA/Local 213 of the IBEW  Joint Training Committee, and/or other IBEW local unions. Except as required by law and in the absence of express and specific permission to do so, Local 213 does not share this information with any other parties.

Security

Our members' personal information is stored in rooms with restricted access in a secure building or on our fire-walled and password protected, electronic data base. Currently, we permanently retain most of our records and destroy or return certain records to affected members on an ad hoc basis. We retain files concerning members' workers' compensation board appeals for one year and then shred them on-site. However, we permanently retain copies of workers' compensation appeal tribunal decisions and continue to associate such decisions with the applicant's name and claim number so we can use this information in future proceedings and enhance our archive of potential evidence about workers' compensation board practices and precedents.

Local 213 avoids transmitting personal information by e-mail. Currently, the messages Local 213 sends and receives over the Internet are not encrypted.

Our website contains links to third-party websites that are not subject to this Protection of Privacy Policy.  Local 213 is not responsible for the privacy practices or policies of these websites. We do not share any of your personal information with these websites, and we encourage you to obtain and read their privacy policies before you do.

Local 213 ensures that its staff know about and understand this Protection of Privacy Policy. Our staff ensure that your personal information is gathered, retained, and used in accordance with the principles and practices set out in this policy and applicable laws.

Access and Correction

Currently, you can only access the personal information that Local 213 has about you by visiting our business office at 4220 Norland Avenue, Burnaby, BC.  However, we encourage you to do so and to correct any errors that might come to your attention thereby or when you receive or fail to receive our communications. You may submit changes or corrections by e-mail at local213@shaw.ca. However, for security reasons we encourage you to do so by post, facsimile, or in-person.

Members who have been involved in any grievance, board, or Local 213 trial proceeding may acquire access to the relevant retained grievance, board, or trial file by contacting the Local 213 business office for an appointment to do so. The Privacy Officer will consider requests to expunge personal information from such files and will make his decisions in this regard based on a determination about whether the information enhances our archive of potential evidence about collective bargaining, board, employer, and union practices and precedents for use in future proceedings. A member can appeal the Privacy Officer's decision in this regard by providing the Local 213 Business Manager and Financial Secretary with a written submission describing the reasons why the member believes the Privacy Officer's decision is incorrect.

October 15, 2004