Privacy Statement of Queensland Unions

The purpose of this Statement is to let you know what information may be collected about you by Queensland Unions when you contact us, visit our website, use our services, or participate in one of our campaigns or activities. This Statement also explains how this information is used, how we protect your privacy, and what your rights are.

Who we are

The Queensland Council of Unions (QCU) is the peak union body in Queensland with 28 affiliated unions representing the interests of 400,000 Queensland workers.

Since its foundation in 1885, the QCU — as the peak body for the Queensland trade union movement — has strived to achieve industrial, social and political justice for Queensland workers.

What we do

Queensland Unions lead unions to achieve social and economic justice for Queensland workers. We also campaign for policies and laws that give working people a “fair go” at work, in their retirement, and in their communities.

Why we collect personal information

In order to carry out its activities, Queensland Unions may collect personal information.

Information we collect from you enables Queensland Unions to make it easier and more rewarding for you to use our services and to provide you with relevant and timely information about our campaigns and activities.

This information may be used for a range of purposes including but not limited to:

• Assisting you with industrial relations and employment queries;
• Informing you about industrial, social and political campaigns;
• Informing you about your rights at work;
• Informing you about changes to legislation;
• Referring you to an appropriate union;
• Enabling our relationship with you;
• Conducting surveys and research;
• Delivering services or improving our service delivery and websites;
• Promoting and marketing Queensland Unions events, products or services;
• Enabling our partners and sponsors to promote and market their events, products or services to you; and
• Enabling our third-party service providers to do or assist with the above.

Our commitment to you:

Queensland Unions is committed to protecting your privacy whenever you visit our website, use our services, or participate in our activities and campaigns.

Queensland Unions only collects personal information that is necessary for Queensland Unions to perform its functions and/or activities.

Queensland Unions will ensure all personal information is collected and used in compliance with the Australian Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000 and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

The privacy legislation may be found here.

The APPs may be found here.

The type of personal information collected.

Queensland Unions collects, holds, uses and may disclose your personal information including your email address to enable us to provide information and services to you. Depending upon the circumstances, you may provide to Queensland Unions and Queensland Unions may collect, information such as, but not limited to:

• Your name;
• Your contact details;
• Your social media details (e.g. blogs, twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn);
• Your gender;
• Your marital status;
• Your employment details;
• Your educational qualifications; and
• Your inquiry or complaint details.

Some personal information you may provide Queensland Unions and Queensland Unions may collect can be considered sensitive information. Sensitive information includes, for example:

• Your political opinions;
• Your political party membership (if any);
• Your union membership (if any);
• Your racial or ethnic origin;
• Your sexual orientation;
• Any disabilities, illnesses or injuries you may have; and/or
• Any other health information.

We will only collect sensitive information where we have received your consent to that information being collected, used, disclosed and stored by Queensland Unions in accordance with this Policy, and provided that the collection is necessary for us to pursue one or more of our functions or activities.

How personal information may be collected

From time to time you may voluntarily supply your personal information to the Queensland Unions.

Your personal information may be collected by Queensland Unions:

• via one of our websites;
• via social media;
• via telephone;
• via email;
• via fax;
• in person; and/or
• in writing.

Queensland Unions records your e-mail address if you send us a message, subscribe to an email newsletter, or complete a form where this information is requested.  You may also supply personal information to Queensland Unions if you respond to a survey, take part in a competition, or sign up to a campaign.

Information collected from Queensland Unions websites

Queensland Unions website is managed by the Queensland Unions Communications team. The web server for Queensland Unions is hosted by Net Registry.

Queensland Unions websites collect two types of information.

The first type is anonymous information.

The web server makes a record of your visit and logs the following information for statistical purposes:

• the user’s server address;
• the user’s top-level domain name (e.g. .com, .gov, .net, .au, etc.);
• the date and time of the visit to the site;
• the pages accessed and documents downloaded;
• the previous site visited;
• and the type of browser used.

No attempt will be made to identify users or their browsing activities except where a law enforcement agency may exercise a warrant to inspect the internet service provider’s logs. The second type of information that Queensland Unions websites collect is personal information.

Personal information is requested in order to provide personalised and enhanced services that are not available to anonymous users. A cookie is a piece of data stored on the user’s computer tied to information about the user. Cookies may be used on Queensland Unions’ websites. Our websites may contain links to other websites and social media pages including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. We are not responsible for the privacy policies of the entities responsible for those websites and we recommend that you review the privacy policies applicable to any other websites you visit.

Information security

Queensland Unions will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information it uses or discloses is accurate, up to date, complete and relevant and stored in a secure environment accessed only by authorised persons.

By providing personal information to Queensland Unions you consent to your information being stored and processed on a data server or data servers (eg. cloud services) owned by a third party or third parties that may be located outside of Australia.

Queensland Unions will take reasonable steps to ensure that any third-party providers comply with the APPs.  If personal information is routed through servers located outside of Australia, this not regarded as a disclosure.

While Queensland Unions strive to protect your personal information from misuse, loss and unauthorised access, we cannot guarantee the security of any information you transmit to us or receive from our website. These activities are conducted at your own risk.

Once we receive your transmission, Queensland Unions will manage it in accordance with our IT security protocols. Personal information is kept in secured locations and is only accessed by authorised personnel. Personal information kept electronically is handled with care and secured by user identifiers and passwords accessed only by authorised personnel. Queensland Unions has systems in place for the protection of all personal information stored either in paper or electronic form.

Treatment of personal information no longer required

When Queensland Unions no longer requires your personal information for a specific purpose and we are not required to keep it to comply with any laws, we will take such steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to destroy your personal information or to ensure that the information is de-identified.

How you may unsubscribe and opt out

If you no longer wish to receive information from Queensland Unions including direct marketing, you may request at any time to cancel your consent to such communications as follows:

• If subscribing to an email newsletter you may “unsubscribe” at any time from the newsletter mailing list;
• Queensland Unions may, from time to time, send you text messages about issues of importance such as events or campaigns. You may “opt out” by texting STOP in reply to a text message from Queensland Unions;
• You may contact us at any time by mail or email directed to the Queensland Unions Communications Team.

How you may seek access and/or correction to personal information held by Queensland Unions

You have the right to request access to your personal information and request that it be updated or corrected.

Please write to the Queensland Unions Director of Communications at the following address:

Queensland Unions Communications Team

Queensland Unions Level 5, TLC Building 16 Peel Street, South Brisbane QLD 4101 

E:info@qcu.asn.au

General enquiries can be made via telephone by calling the following number:

P: (07) 3010 2555

Queensland Unions requires that you provide proof of identity in order to seek access to your personal information. Queensland Unions may refuse to provide access if permitted to do so by law or under the APPs. Queensland Unions will seek to provide you with access to your personal information within 30 days of receipt of a valid request and may charge you a reasonable fee for doing so. Queensland Unions may also take steps to update your personal information by reference to publicly available sources such as telephone directories or electoral rolls.

How you may complain about a breach of the APPs

To make a complaint about an alleged breach of the APPs please write to or email the Queensland Unions Privacy Officer at the following address:

Privacy Officer Queensland Unions

Queensland Unions Level 5, TLC Building 16 Peel Street, South Brisbane QLD 4101 

E:info@qcu.asn.au

All complaints must be written. Please provide all details about your complaint as well as any supporting documentation.

How Queensland Unions will deal with complaints

Queensland Unions will deal with every privacy complaint seriously, promptly and confidentially.

All complaints will be investigated by the Queensland Unions Privacy Officer and the outcome of the investigation will be provided to the complainant where the complainant has provided proof of identity.

Queensland Unions will advise the complainant of the outcome of the investigation within 30 days of receipt of a valid complaint. Where the investigation has not been completed within 30 days, Queensland Unions will provide a report on the status of the investigation to the complainant every 30 days until the investigation is completed.