The B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality, accuracy and security of members' personal information collected and to use and retain it in the course of conducting our duties as a trade union.
The Members' Personal Information Operational Policy ("Operational Policy") outlines the BCGEU's operational practices concerning the collection, use, disclosure and protection of personal information to meet the requirements of the British Columbia Personal Information Protection Act (the Act).
The purpose of the Act is to govern the collection, use and disclosure of personal information by organizations in a manner that recognizes both the right of individuals to protect their personal information and the need of organizations to collect, use or disclose personal information for purposes that a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances.
Updated versions of this Operational Policy will be posted on the BCGEU's website. Copies will also be available at BCGEU headquarters and area offices.
The Act defines "personal information" as information about an identifiable individual and includes employee personal information but does not include the name, business contact information or work product information of an employee of an organization.
The BCGEU is responsible for protecting members' personal information in its possession including personal information that has been received from a third party or personal information that may not be in the custody of the BCGEU but which has been transferred to a third party.
The BCGEU collects personal information from the following sources:
The BCGEU retains certain personal information in order to:
Personal information may be collected, used or disclosed for any of these identified purposes as set out above. If members' personal information is needed for any purpose other than those set out above, the BCGEU will not use or disclose it without obtaining additional consent from the member(s).
Requests should be in writing addressed to the BCGEU Privacy Officer stating as specifically as possible what personal information you are requesting:
| Address: | 4911 Canada Way Burnaby, BC V5G 3W3 |
| E-mail: | [email protected] |
Response to such requests will be within thirty (30) working days or as soon as possible. If, for some reason, the union is unable to respond within this timeline, the member will be advised.
A minimal fee to respond to a request for access to an individual's personal information will be applied if the time involved to respond is greater than three hours. Members will be provided with a written estimate of the total fee, if applicable, prior to responding to the request.
There may be some types of information the union is prohibited from providing, such as information about another individual that cannot be separated from your information, information that can identify another individual or information which cannot be disclosed for legal reasons.
In order to protect members' personal information in the union's possession or control, the BCGEU has made reasonable security arrangements to protect personal information such as:
Elected officers found to be abusing membership information, can be subject to the disciplinary procedure in the BCGEU Constitution and Bylaws.
Staff of the BCGEU found to be abusing membership information, can be subject to disciplinary action.
The BCGEU strives to ensure that the personal information we have on file is accurate and up-to-date as necessary for the identified purposes for which it is to be used.
Yes. A member can decline to have their personal information collected, used, or disclosed for certain purposes. For example, you can opt out of the use of your personal information with respect to marketing initiatives relating to membership programs and special promotions.
A member may also decline to have personal information collected, used or disclosed for other purposes. This may, however, restrict the union's ability to represent their interest. The member will be informed if this applies.
Complaints relating to this Operational Policy, the Online Policy, or any of the procedures, should be forwarded to the attention of the BCGEU Privacy Officer at [email protected] . If the complaint is justified, the union will take the steps necessary to resolve the issue, including amending the Operational Policy, the Online Policy and practices, if necessary.
If the union is not able to resolve a complaint, or if a member has any other concerns about this Operational Policy, the Online Policy, or procedures, the member may contact the Office of the Provincial Privacy Commissioner at:
Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia
PO Box 9038 Stn. Prov. Govt.
Victoria B.C. V8W 9A4
Revised January, 2016
BCGEU Headquarters is on the unceded and shared traditional territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skxwú7mesh (Squamish) & Səlí̓ lwətaʔ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples.