This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/south_west/7005703.stm
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Job losses over eBay 'addiction' | Job losses over eBay 'addiction' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Three council workers have lost their jobs for spending too long on the internet auction site eBay. | Three council workers have lost their jobs for spending too long on the internet auction site eBay. |
| One was sacked and two resigned after managers at Neath Port Talbot Council found some staff were spending up to two hours a day on the website. | One was sacked and two resigned after managers at Neath Port Talbot Council found some staff were spending up to two hours a day on the website. |
| Union officials have blamed bosses for "putting temptation in their way" - by allowing access to the internet. | Union officials have blamed bosses for "putting temptation in their way" - by allowing access to the internet. |
| The council said it carried out an investigation after officials spent a "significant time" on the internet. | The council said it carried out an investigation after officials spent a "significant time" on the internet. |
| It said another two cases were being investigated while another member of staff had been given a warning. | It said another two cases were being investigated while another member of staff had been given a warning. |
| Union officials said in all, over an 18 month period, up to six council staff had lost their jobs. | Union officials said in all, over an 18 month period, up to six council staff had lost their jobs. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Before the computer it was crossword puzzles, knitting, magazine reading, personal phone calls and general day dreaming. The work force has just advanced with the times. Al Send us your comments | |
| The council highlighted "an unacceptable level of usage of shopping, entertainment". | The council highlighted "an unacceptable level of usage of shopping, entertainment". |
| Graham Jones, personnel chief at the council, said: "We have a policy of allowing employees to use the internet in their own time. | Graham Jones, personnel chief at the council, said: "We have a policy of allowing employees to use the internet in their own time. |
| "But we clearly don't want them to use it in council time - at the end of the day they are employed to do a job of work not be shopping online." | "But we clearly don't want them to use it in council time - at the end of the day they are employed to do a job of work not be shopping online." |
| The council, which employs 7,500 staff, had security software in place to prevent access to inappropriate websites such as porn sites but not eBay sites. | The council, which employs 7,500 staff, had security software in place to prevent access to inappropriate websites such as porn sites but not eBay sites. |
| Andrew Woodman, regional organiser for Unison said they had asked for an urgent review. | |
| "The council have gone completely over the top on this issue. The internet is part of our working lives, whether we like it or not." | |
| Unison welfare officer Mark Fisher said people got "addicted" to certain websites. | Unison welfare officer Mark Fisher said people got "addicted" to certain websites. |
| "People get very involved in eBay, Sky Sports and their favourite soccer teams. It happens in many, many offices," he said. | "People get very involved in eBay, Sky Sports and their favourite soccer teams. It happens in many, many offices," he said. |
| The council has software to prevent staff accessing some sites"Obviously we cannot justify people spending a couple of hours of working time looking at these sites - but temptation was put in their way," he added. | The council has software to prevent staff accessing some sites"Obviously we cannot justify people spending a couple of hours of working time looking at these sites - but temptation was put in their way," he added. |
| "We plan to push for the authority to make changes to its IT system, to help prevent workers landing themselves in hot water." | "We plan to push for the authority to make changes to its IT system, to help prevent workers landing themselves in hot water." |
| He called for internet access be limited to lunch break and that web access should be filtered at other times. | He called for internet access be limited to lunch break and that web access should be filtered at other times. |
| 'Constant problem' | 'Constant problem' |
| "We want them to take temptation out of people's hands," Mr Fisher said. | "We want them to take temptation out of people's hands," Mr Fisher said. |
| "These were decent well-paid jobs in admin earning between £20,000 and £25,000 a year. | "These were decent well-paid jobs in admin earning between £20,000 and £25,000 a year. |
| "It is personally devastating to them to lose their jobs over this." | "It is personally devastating to them to lose their jobs over this." |
| Employment solicitor Bethan Darwin, of Cardiff-based Darwin Gray Solicitors, said she regularly advised on excessive use of the internet which was a "constant problem for all employers". | Employment solicitor Bethan Darwin, of Cardiff-based Darwin Gray Solicitors, said she regularly advised on excessive use of the internet which was a "constant problem for all employers". |
| She said some policies for companies also concerned the use of telephones for personal calls, mobile telephones and e-mail, and had become more commonplace in the last five years. | She said some policies for companies also concerned the use of telephones for personal calls, mobile telephones and e-mail, and had become more commonplace in the last five years. |
| Ms Darwin said: "Technology is changing all the time, consequently workplace policies and procedures have to change alongside those developments." | |