Drinks manufacturer Bulmers Ltd has been told to make a €4,500 donation to charity after it installed cameras in a warehouse without consulting staff.
In a recommendation just published, the Labour Court said the company had damaged a good relationship with workers by its actions.
Staff at the warehouse in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, said they had made inquiries to management after noticing in May 2004 that cables were being installed. Management said a new alarm system was being put in place.
When the workers heard later that the cables were for cameras in their work areas, they contacted their union Siptu.
At a subsequent meeting with the union, Bulmers said its insurance company had stipulated that cameras be installed. Siptu rejected that argument, claiming it already had adequate security and that it was not acceptable to have cameras trained on workers.
When the matter came before the court, the union said the way Bulmers had dealt with the issue left a lot to be desired. Siptu also claimed that once the insurance company had insisted on the cameras, Bulmers had acted opportunistically to monitor the staff.
Bulmers told the court it had given guarantees to the union that the cameras would not be used to monitor employees.
It had also guaranteed that neither monitors nor recordings would be viewed by management other than to investigate theft.
The court recommended that a "comprehensive protocol" be adopted for the use of the cameras. Given the company's "inadequate communication" in the matter, Bulmers should pay €4,500 to a charity nominated by staff in the department where the cameras were in use.
