Legal
Data Protection Policy
Please read the following policy sections to understand how your
personal information will be treated. It may change from time to
time, so please check back periodically.
Security of Information
GMB utilise the latest in Secure Server Technology to ensure
that all personal and transactional information is protected to
industry standards.
We have strict security procedures covering the storage of your
information in order to prevent unauthorised access and to comply
with the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998. This means that
sometimes we may ask you for proof of identity or for other
personal information before we can process your call or enquiry
further.
Privacy policy
GMB is a registered data controller under the Data Protection
Act 1998.
GMB holds personal data about its members. This data is used to
process your membership, provide you with information from GMB, to
enable us to carry out our membership activities and to provide us
with management and statistical information.
GMB primarily collects and maintains personal information so
that it can carry out its functions as a trade union, provide
membership services and comply with certain statutory
obligations.
The personal data will be used for a range of union-based
activities relating to its running. These include the maintenance
of records, monitoring for equal opportunity purposes, assisting
with employment disputes, ballots, injury claims and other services
and benefits.
All information (updated as appropriate) will be kept throughout
an individual's time as a member and for such reasonable period
(and to the extent necessary) after membership as may be needed to
enable the member to access any post-membership benefits.
Personal data will also be available to our employees, officers
and officials (both at head office and branch regional offices) and
others including agents, contractors and other service providers
who are associated with the union.
From time to time we may also use, or make your personal
information available to other carefully selected organisations for
the purpose of marketing GMB approved/branded products and
services, or for research purposes.
Where, very occasionally, GMB uses the services of these
organisations, they are contractually obliged to process your data
on behalf of the union as data processor and in a secure and
confidential manner under our strict instructions.
We reserve the right to access and disclose individually
identifiable information to enable us to comply with applicable
laws and lawful government requests to operate its systems and to
protect itself or its users.
By joining the union you agree to our processing of your
personal information, including sensitive personal information,
such as trade union membership, for the purposes outlined
above.
Accessing the information we hold
Under the Data Protection Act 1998 GMB members also have the
right to ask for a copy of the information the GMB holds on them -
for which a small fee can be charged - and to request correction of
any incorrect information held.
Requests should be made in writing to the union's Data
Protection Officer:
GMB Data Protection Officer
St James Business Park
81 Linwood Road
Paisley
Scotland
PA3 3BB
GMB Website
When you access and use the GMB website, we (or third parties
acting on our behalf) may collect certain information from or about
you. This includes personal information you provide when you
register an account, send questions or make purchases through the
website (for example, your name, address, telephone number, e-mail
address and payment details) and browsing information about your
use of the GMB website (such as information about your browser
type, the pages of the website that you view, the advertisements
you click on, and the search terms that you enter on our
website).
We use the personal information and/or browsing information we
collect to maintain your GMB Membership Profile, improve this
website and serve advertisements from selected partners, process
any orders that you place with us, respond to any questions that
you raise, for research purposes and to contact you (including by
e-mail) about GMB products and services that we think may interest
you.
Your use of this website signifies your consent to us collecting
and using personal data about you as specified below in accordance
with this policy statement. Should we choose to change these terms
for any reason, the changes will be posted here so that you are
always kept informed about the collection and use of your personal
information, and when we disclose it.
The GMB website contains links to other websites and the GMB is
not responsible for the content or the privacy policies of such
other sites.
Accessing and maintaining your personal records
on-line
After going through an initial registration process and
subsequent signing in process, members are provided with the
functionality to manage and amend a selection of personal details.
This includes the ability to update name and address details and
manage contact preferences. The responsibility for this will rely
upon the individual member. Any changes made may be held within the
members detailed record. GMB reserves the right to refuse any
amendments it deems to be fraudulent or incorrect. Changes to a
members personal details can also be made by contacting your local
region.
Cookies
When you visit this website we may use cookies to collect
certain browsing information about your use of the GMB website (GMB
Cookies). Cookies are small data files which are stored by your
browser on your computer's hard drive, and details of the browsing
information that GMB collects are described above. GMB has
relationships with carefully selected and monitored suppliers to
assist in the delivery of a high quality website. Some of these
suppliers may also set cookies during your visit in order to meet
contractual obligations with GMB (Supplier Cookies). Both GMB and
Supplier cookies do not store any personal information relating to
you or your credit cards. We also use JavaScript to speed up your
online shopping experience.
You can change your browser settings to refuse or delete cookies
or JavaScript but please note that, if you do, this may impair the
functionality of the GMB website. As the means by which you may
choose to refuse or delete cookies or JavaScript varies from
browser to browser, please consult your browser's help menu for
further details.
Your vote
The union treats your home address as your ballot address for
all legal purposes. You can, however, nominate another address such
as your workplace.
The law requires that this be done in writing. So if you want to
nominate your workplace, or another address, please do so, in
writing, to the GMB Membership Records department at your region
(details of which can be found under the contacts section on our
website).
Miscellaneous
If you have any other queries regarding any of these policies,
please put them in writing to the GMB Data Protection Officer at
the address shown above.