GFT ASKS FOR REMOVAL OF DOE’S EMRO

In a letter to DOE Superintendent Underwood, President Rector requested that she immediately remove Robert Koss from his position as EMRO while she conducts an investigation into what the Union believes to be “a blatant and illegal abuse of power”. He states that during an investigative interview, “Mr. Koss asked employees if they had personal email or facebook accounts and if they had received certain communications in either one. By their very nature these communications are personal and said employees have the very reasonable expectation of privacy. While he might have the right to ask this question, employees of DOE, like all citizens of our great nation and island, have the fourth amendment Constitutional and Organic right of the expectation of privacy, against unlawful search and seizure by the Government and thus have the right not to answer the question if they so choose. Henceforth, I advised the employees that they did not have to answer the question. Mr. Koss, in every instance, threatened the employees with “adverse action up to and including termination” if they refused to answer and disclose the contents of their personal electronic communications. Will he threaten to fire any employee that doesn’t allow him to search their house, read their mail or answer any personal question he can think of? How can any employee ever trust a management that so blatantly and illegally tries to usurp their rights and invade their privacy?
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