The Trades Union Congress (TUC) have made a statement that employers should provide their workers with a set of clear guidelines on how to use e-mail facilities. It also makes sense for employers to consult with their workforce and draw up appropriate guidance in conjunction with them.

The need for companies to work alongside the unions in order to establish guidelines have been brought about by the introduction of the new Human Rights Act last month.

All users of e-mail should be made aware that their messages can be electronically scanned for obscene, indecent, racist or illegal remarks at any time by the organisation they work for.

However, the TUC are working on demands for assurances that e-mails between union representatives and union members will not be monitored or read by managers in the company.

The General Secretary, John Monks for the TUC also stated that staff should also be allowed occasional and reasonable personal use of e-mail, as long as it does not interfere with their work. Staff should also be aware that e-mail may be checked by other members of staff if they are not present.

Owing to the introduction of the Human Rights Act, many employers now fear that if they open e-mail containing private information, they could be in breach of this new act and employees are worried that managers might be snooping through their personal e-mails.

This all leads to good relationships at work have to be based on trust from both sides.