Qantas cools biometric plan
Kate Mackenzie and wires
FEBRUARY 03, 2003 

QANTAS baggage handlers have abandoned a planned walkout at 
Melbourne Airport this week over the airline's demand for staff 
to provide finger scans.  

After the threat of industrial action, Qantas agreed to postpone 
the pre- registration phase of a trial for a biometric clocking-in 
system.  

The registration, which required staff to provide a scan of their 
forefinger, was due to take place Wednesday, while the trial was 
planned to commence in a few weeks' time.  

"We're still panning to proceed with the trial, but we've agred to 
postpone pre-trial registrations, pending further discussions with 
the union," a Qantas spokesman said.  

He added that no decision had been made about whether the system, 
provided by local company Biometric Systems International, would 
eventually be deployed.  

"It's a trial at this stage, we wouldn't want to pre-empt the 
outcome of the trial."  

Biometric Systems International provides similar systems for 
ANZ, Woolworths and Hyatt and Regent Hotels.  

Transport Workers Union (TWU) Victorian and Tasmanian branch 
secretary Bill Noonan said Qantas' decision was a "sensible 
outcome to the dispute".  

"Members of the TWU deserve better than to be bulldozed into 
significant workplace change," he said.  

The union had claimed the system was an invasion of privacy.  

Mr Noonan said Qantas reserved its right to pursue the issue 
through the Settlements Dispute Resolution Procedure.  

But he said the TWU was seeking a meeting of all airline industry 
unions to develop a uniform opposition to workers being asked to 
provide their fingerprints for the system.  

"Transport workers remain opposed to this unnecessary technology 
but as always are prepared to discuss matters via the Settlements 
Dispute Resolution Procedure," he said.  

                            -==-

Source: "Australian IT" - http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/
0,7204,5928299%5E15319%5E%5Enbv%5E15306,00.html


Cheers, Steve..

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