Business Conduct And Ethics Policy

[pitguy]

I know all of the unions have web sites that union representative which are also employees of the company have messages posted on the pages. Could this be a violation? Also there is an employee web site.



p.s.- Thanks Piney for offering to post through e-mail.



--Can you say A.C.L.U.?

 

[ClueByFour]

NYCbusdriver is right on point! Said it better than I did. But let's look at the intent here. Clearly this has a potentially chilling effect on most posters who are employees. I mean who has the resources to fight something like this in court? US knows that and is acting accordingly. Look for them to try to make an example of someone.

If the example target is union, I'm reasonably sure the union would provide the legal guns.

If not (for something like this), I'm pretty sure the ACLU might consider intervening on behalf of an "at will" employee, provided that what they wrote was not completely out of hand.

 

[robbedagain]

I thought that this board is an open public thing and not for a company, especially the one that is run by a bunch of gangsters and thieves as this airline, to rule on who can say what and what not to say?

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

As I understand it, the policy applies to to use of US Airways computer systems, especially to the chosen few who have web access through the copmany server.

The policy says 'This rule also applies where such posting is done from your personal equipment'

Again, I undrstand this to mean the company server, as well as its PC's. If I use my own laptop to access the web through thecompany server, I would be subjest to this rule. Posting a comment in on line forum from my computer using a private connection is really no different than writing a letter to the editor of my local paper.

(Libeling the company would be another matter, however.)

But anyone who is truly concerned can access the web from the public libtary or an internet cafe. If the company sued a website to find the ip address, woldn't the trail gorw cold at the libary or cafe?

 

[700UW]

The company cannot make a policy that tells you what you cant do on your own time when it comes to the internet and from home.

 

[colorado_cowboy]

But anyone who is truly concerned can access the web from the public libtary or an internet cafe. If the company sued a website to find the ip address, woldn't the trail gorw cold at the libary or cafe?

Theres way's of hiding your IP address you need to surf the internet to find out how.

 

[USFlyer]

This is not only a UAIR policy. My company also has this policy. We were told to sign the ethics policy or risk termination. In the policy, we are explicitly prohibited from posting anything company-related on Internet message boards. We've had some cases lately where employees have either posted inside information or posted blatantly false accusations about executive management and fellow employees. Somehow a judge got involved and sided with the company.

Also, freedom of speech only applies to the government, not private employers. The right is that the government cannot restrict your speech. Employers have every right to do this when speech pertains to company matters.

 

[PITbull]

This is not only a UAIR policy. My company also has this policy. We were told to sign the ethics policy or risk termination. In the policy, we are explicitly prohibited from posting anything company-related on Internet message boards. We've had some cases lately where employees have either posted inside information or posted blatantly false accusations about executive management and fellow employees. Somehow a judge got involved and sided with the company.

Also, freedom of speech only applies to the government, not private employers. The right is that the government cannot restrict your speech. Employers have every right to do this when speech pertains to company matters.

Please cite the court case you refer to above, state and judge presiding.

 

[USFlyer]

The company cannot make a policy that tells you what you cant do on your own time when it comes to the internet and from home.

A company can set policies as it sees fit when you're discussing company matters in a public forum. Do you have to agree with it? Of course not. Your option is to leave the company then. If you really want to keep posting here and not risk breaking a company policy, then your unions need to include your "right" to post here in the next contract.

 

[700UW]

Then I guess Chris Chiames needs to be terminated.

US Airways Responds to CWA Rep.''s Misinformation (Pages 1 2 3 ...10 )
US Airways, Inc Posted on: Jan 5 2003, 04:39 PM

Replies: 135
Views: 8,192 PITguy, I apologize for the delay. I haven't been online and just saw your note.

We are not going to outsource heavy maintenance in PIT or elsewhere. We never even proposed it. (Unlike UA which has proposed the outsourcing of heavy maintenance.)

We will pay all furlough pay as provided for in the contract.

We have no further plans to lay off more mechanics beyond what is published. With the new commitment to operate 279 a/c, we will need just about all the mechanics on the property to perform the maintenance we have scheduled, since our fleet plan anticipated retiring some planes that we will now be flying.

Finally, we are not trying to vendor maintenance with either Boeing or Airbus.

Chris Chiames

 

[USFlyer]

This is not only a UAIR policy. My company also has this policy. We were told to sign the ethics policy or risk termination. In the policy, we are explicitly prohibited from posting anything company-related on Internet message boards. We've had some cases lately where employees have either posted inside information or posted blatantly false accusations about executive management and fellow employees. Somehow a judge got involved and sided with the company.

Also, freedom of speech only applies to the government, not private employers. The right is that the government cannot restrict your speech. Employers have every right to do this when speech pertains to company matters.

Please cite the court case you refer to above, state and judge preciding.

Honestly, I won't do that because I will then break my company's policy, which is strictly enforced. Just do some searches online -- ITRADE can help here -- and you'll find precedent. There's also mention of it in the Yahoo message board for my company ... a search on Yahoo might find what you're looking for.

Also, every company designates those employees who are authorized to speak on the company's behalf and to discuss company matters in a public forum. Chris Chaimes is certainly in that role. As is Siegel, Baldanza and other executive management and those in Corporate Communications.

Look, I'm not trying to ruffle feathers here. Just stating that many companies have such policies that UAIR is apparently now adopting.

 

[PITbull]

USflyer,

Please cite the court case you refer to above, state in which the letigation took place and Judge presiding.

Its a court case for crying out loud. I believe you are U managment disquising as a passenger. Give us the link. I have two attorneys in my family, and they want the link.

 

[PITbull]

My family is here. For the purpose of this public forum, and for the reasons folks are citing on this board, they are incorrect.

So, they ask for the link or more detailed information. If you know of a case, besides heresay, than cite it. There are many libel cases on the books, but from what they just read, management can not hold anyone for libel on these boards, unless they supeoena records for "just cause".

Example: IF someone on the boards states they work for U, and find this management misrepresented themselves to labor, and that there is "labor unrest", Draconican PUNITIVE policies with sick pay penalties and many folks come to work in fear of their jobs, blatantly violates contract languge in all groups, and NO labor group respects this managnement and that this management does not know how to operate an airline of this magnitude, and that they are inept, and they demand this managment be removed, THAT IS NOT "JUST CAUSE" to supeoena IP addresses.

 

[USFlyer]

I see you weasled out of that very nicely.

How can I ask an agent who you are, IF NO ONE KNOWS YOUR NAME?????? At least Bob has stated his name and we could look him up.

No, YOU don't know my name, lots of other people do. No way I'm revealing my name to a "random" person on an Internet message board. Continue to believe what you want. But I really mean no disrespect to the US employees. I only read these boards cuz I'm interested in the industry and fly US every week. I have no axe to grind or agenda to push. I've been trying lately to stay out of the issues that I'm not intimately involved with, namely employee relations, union contracts and the like, and posting only on things I experience myself (service quality, codeshare issues, etc.).

 

[700UW]

Check this out:

http://www.fac.org/speech/internet/cases_r...es_summary.aspx

http://www.eff.org/br/

http://www.fac.org/