Hydro One tightens security checks; Labor arbitrator says privacy breach

 

 

 

A labor arbitrator has ruled that stringent security checks implemented by Hydro One, Ontario’s largest electricity distribution company, are unnecessary and an invasion of employee privacy. Hydro One tightened the checks after it was revealed in 2015 that a student who worked as an ISIS recruiter had worked for the company. While the company argued that such checks were necessary to prevent those with ties to Chinese and Russian spies, arbitrator John Stout said it was not justified in checking the credit history and driving records of existing employees.

The decision comes as intelligence agencies warn that the country’s critical infrastructure is under threat from foreign powers. Unions have argued that workers’ rights and privacy must be protected while taking security precautions. While the stricter checks can be applied to new hires, the ruling noted that forcing existing employees to do so would affect their livelihoods. Hydro One announced that it would change its safety policy based on the ruling.