Enterprise Agreement ballots - were employees informed of what data about them was used in the ballot?

James Smith made this Freedom of Information request to Department of Home Affairs as part of a batch sent to 6 authorities

This request has been closed to new correspondence from the public body. Contact us if you think it ought be re-opened.

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Dear Department of Immigration and Border Protection,

Through a previous FOI request, you have indicated the department has used certain information relating to your employees to conduct your enterprise agreement ballots for at least one enterprise agreement proposed under either the governments current bargaining policy or the one before it.

In one or more of your ballots, I have determined you passed on information about your employees that goes beyond the minimum required in order to conduct the ballots.

This may include information such as classification level, branch within the department, employment type, etc.

I would like to determine to what extent the department explained to employees what information about them was required for ballots, and what information about them was used in ballots.

I would also like to understand the rationale of the department in using employee information to profile employees' votes (in a breakdown of results), and I would like to know who authorised the decision to use such data.

I therefore request:

1. All documents sent to all employees which explain what information about them was passed onto the ballot provider for each ballot.

2. Any documents sent to the relevant decision maker(s) who approved the use of the data that was used in the ballots.

3. Any documents which explain the rational for obtaining breakdowns of votes

4. Any documents which mention benefits to the department or to the bargaining process in obtaining a breakdown of votes.

5. Any documents between the departmental bargaining team and the departmental Executive which discuss breakdowns of votes and suggest how that information should be used or otherwise taken into consideration by the department.

6. Any documents from the APSC that mention what information about employees can or should be used in ballots.

Yours faithfully,

James Smith

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Yours Sincerely

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Department of Immigration and Border Protection

Information updated 16 December 2016

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References

FA 17 04 00249 Acknowledgement Letter 1.pdf

87K Download View as HTML

UNCLASSIFIED

Our references: FA 17/04/00249; ADF2017/37844

Dear Mr Smith

Please find attached the acknowledgement of receipt for your recent FOI
Request.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you wish to discuss.

Yours sincerely

Karen Chapman

FOI Officer / Freedom of Information Section

Freedom of Information, Privacy & Records Management Branch / Corporate
Services Division

Corporate Group

Department of Immigration and Border Protection

UNCLASSIFIED

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.

FA 170400249 letter and decision record.pdf

127K Download View as HTML

UNCLASSIFIED

Our references: FA 17/04/00249; ADF2017/37844

Dear Mr Smith

I refer to your FOI request received on 4 April 2017, seeking access to
the following:

1. All documents sent to all employees which explain what information
about them was passed onto the ballot provider for each ballot.

2. Any documents sent to the relevant decision maker(s) who approved the
use of the data that was used in the ballots.

3. Any documents which explain the rational for obtaining breakdowns of
votes

4. Any documents which mention benefits to the department or to the
bargaining process in obtaining a breakdown of votes.

5. Any documents between the departmental bargaining team and the
departmental Executive which discuss breakdowns of votes and suggest how
that information should be used or otherwise taken into consideration by
the department.

6. Any documents from the APSC that mention what information about
employees can or should be used in ballots.

The Department has made a decision on this request. Please see attached
the signed decision letter and decision record.

This request has now been closed.

with regards,

Helen Simons

FOI Officer | Freedom of Information Section

Freedom of Information, Privacy & Records Management Branch

Corporate Services Division | Corporate Group

Department of Immigration and Border Protection
E: [1][email address]

UNCLASSIFIED

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.

References

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Enterprise Agreement ballots - were employees informed of what data about them was used in the ballot?

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