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The Finance Sector Union (FSU) has praised the Victorian Labor Government for pledging to introduce the nation’s toughest workplace anti-surveillance laws.  

Premier Jacinta Allan said if re-elected, her government will ban inappropriate monitoring of employees and bolster human oversight of artificial intelligence used during staff recruitment. 

The FSU made a submission to last year’s Victorian Inquiry into Workplace Surveillance that strongly urged lawmakers to enact legislation that would prevent bosses from potentially monitoring every single action of an employee at work and in some cases, outside work.  

Workers in the finance sector have told the union that technology, including AI, is increasingly being used to monitor every keystroke, every email and every conversation of workers to evaluate performance or for use in disciplinary action.  

An FSU survey found surveillance concerns among finance workers is rising fast – with half of workers surveyed describing monitoring at work as high or very high, and more than half saying it harms their wellbeing.  

There is currently little transparency around how surveillance is used in workplaces and zero regulatory oversight of its use.   

The FSU calls on all State and Territory governments to adopt similar legislation to Victoria’s to send a clear message to employers that the use of technology should be fair, transparent and respect the rights of workers.  

Quotes from Finance Sector Union National Assistant Secretary Nicole McPherson:  

 “The Allan Government deserves to be recognised for taking the lead on what is a very important worker wellbeing issue,” Ms McPherson said.  

“Having your boss stand over your shoulder all day is something that would intimidate most people, but the technological equivalent has gone on in an almost unregulated way for many years.  

“The stories our members have told us about workplace surveillance prompted the union to take a strong stand against the increasing use of excessive, and in some cases covert, oversight of employees.  

“The case for regulation has only become more urgent in the AI age. The time for action is now.” 

Media contact – Sam Burgess 0434 165 630 or [email protected]