RFID workshop: a trade union response

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RFID workshop a trade union response

• Andrew Bibby
• www.andrewbibby.com

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Electronic monitoring and surveillance in the
workplace

• RFID
• Satellite (GPS) and cellular phone tracking
• (Digital) Video monitoring
• Email and internet monitoring/keystroke
  monitoring
• Telephone call monitoring
• Biometrics/implants
• Linking of data from different sources

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Electronic monitoring and surveillance in the
workplace

• Issues for unions
• Right to collective representation
• Health and safety issues, including stress
• Privacy and decent work

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RFID

• Radio Frequency Identification tags
• Microchip connected to antenna
• Can be passive (woken up by a reader) or active
  (transmitting)
• Chip can be as small as grain of rice
• Range can be 2 cms to 10 metres (passive),
  several kilometres (active)

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Some uses

• Logistics tagging of pallets/containers
  (transportation, warehouses, etc)
• Tagging of retail goods
• Asset tracking and asset management
• Access control
• Healthcare
• Security (eg airports)

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Some other uses

• Payment of road tolls
• Public transport passes
• World Cup tickets!
• Timing marathon runners
• Security systems in shops
• Dog and cat identification chips

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Some other uses

• Tracking of children in schools
• Tracking of old people in old peoples homes
• (Implanted) Access to nightclubs automatic
  payment for drinks

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RFID is controversialSpychips www.spychips.com
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RFID in the workplace

• Changing the nature of work eg warehouses

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RFID in the workplace
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RFID in the workplace

• GMB (UK) campaign
• like battery farms for chicken

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RFID in the workplace

• Tracking workers
• Examples
• RFID chips in uniforms
• RFID implants
• And

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RFID in the workplace

• Entry systems
• Data can be used for attendance report, timecard
  report, wage report, overtime report, payroll
  summary, absence report, roll call, early out
  report. etc
• RAND Corporation study Any reader who uses an
  RFID-based access card ought to be uneasy

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International responses

• 2003 International Conference of data protection
  and privacy commissioners
• 2005 EU Article 29 Data protection Working
  Party
• RFID monitoring according to data protection
  principles, including prior notification, access
  to data

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International responses

• 2006 EU Commissioner Reding
• Public consultation launched Towards an RFID
  Policy for Europe
• Workshops, including one on privacy issues
• http//europa.eu.int/information_society/policy/rf
  id/index_en.htm
• 2004 EU report on workplace data protection did
  not appear

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Union responses

• GMB (UK)
• ver.di (DE) checklist (Cornelia Brandt)
• UNI Commerce
• ???
• RFID in the workplace UNI Code of Good Practice
  (draft)

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UNI Code of Good Practice

• Introduction of RFID
• A written RFID policy
• Transparency
• Access
• Restrictions on RFID tracking
• Restrictions over use of data collected
• 7. Use of RFID with other monitoring and
  surveillance technologies
• Protection of collective organisation and
  representation
• Special uses of RFID tags
• Health and safety
• Monitoring