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Fury over roll-out of biometric testing for hotel staff
independent.ie
Monday Aug 27, 2007
THE national privacy watchdog has expressed concern at the growth
in 'Big Brother'-style clock-in systems that read workers' physical
data after another hi-tech attendance procedure was launched at
a major hotel.
Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner Billy Hawkes issued his
warning after it emerged that the Gresham Hotel in Dublin is the
latest employer to introduce a 'biometric' system. Workers claim
they were not consulted about the introduction of the system that
reads handprints.
It was brought in just months after the Abbey Theatre came under
fire for launching a system that reads fingerprints.
The Data Protection Commissioner said he was "concerned"
about the growing use of biometric systems in the workplace "regardless
of the type of biometric information collected or the technology
used".
(Article continues below)
And the hotel's SIPTU branch, which represents Gresham workers,
said it was investigating the new clock-in method to see whether
it infringed their rights.
A Gresham employee, who did not want to be named, said staff
had no problem in clocking in and out but the new system had "gone
too far".
"There was no dialogue between the union and management,"
he told the Irish Independent.
"I've been working for the Gresham for a long time and no
one spoke to us about bringing this in.
"We were left completely in the dark.
"I'm not a trouble-maker and had no problem clocking-in
and out, but this worries me.
"It was the bloody-minded way they brought it in. It is
very disconcerting.
"We are worried about the Big Brother aspect of it.
"What could be done with the fingerprints? We just don't
know."
A spokesperson for the Gresham Hotel said the new system, known
as Time Point, does not record fingerprints.
According to the Dublin-based company that installed it, it records
employees clocking in and out by recognising five points on their
hand.
It uses reflector plates and a camera that photographs the back
of the hand.
The Time Point company said the system is 100pc accurate and
claims it simplifies timekeeping for management. There are "no
excuses, no cards, no estimated times, no books", it claims.
The Data Commissioner's office said it "expects full justification
in any particular scenario for the introduction of a biometric
system".
This would include step progression through alternative systems
including swipe cards and PIN codes before the introduction of
such a system was even considered.
"This office has not been contacted by the Gresham Hotel
in relation to the introduction of a biometric system for its
employees," a spokesperson said.
Concerns
The Commissioner is known to be concerned at the speed at which
biometric systems are being introduced in workplaces.
His concerns are regardless of the type of biometric information
collected or the technology used.
The commissioner expressed his reservations just weeks after
he warned the Abbey Theatre that its system requiring workers
to submit fingerprints breaches legislation.
In a strident letter to the national theatre, he strongly criticised
the attendance procedure that was introduced last year.
He said there were "other less intrusive measures"
used by most employers to keep records, including cards or PIN
numbers.
Workers who construct the theatre's sets refused to use the device,
known as the biometric 'time and attendance' system.
Computer-generated biometric data systems are already used in
some local authorities and semi-State bodies including the National
Concert Hall, Cavan and Galway county councils.
They work by automatically identifying various physical characteristics,
such as fingerprints, retina, face, voice patterns, and body odour.
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