WORKERS TAPED DURING DRUG TESTS

BRISBANE

Videotaping workers as they give urine drug samples at Mount Isa Mines
(MIM) was an unnecessary invasion of privacy, a union said today.

MIM begins a new policy of drug testing today, in which new employees and
workers in rehabilitation will be videotaped while providing a urine sample
in a small cubicle.

Videotaping the tests was intended to ensure workers did not smuggle false
urine samples in via containers or condoms.

Under the MIM policy, contractors will be subject to the camera test once a
year.

Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) north Queensland organiser
Jeff Hume said MIM had other options to ensure workers did not smuggle
false urine samples in via containers or condoms.

"It's an invasion of privacy," he said.

"We feel very strongly about it."

But MIM Mount Isa operations general manager Tony McPaul said the camera
use was in line with the Australian standards.

Mr McPaul said the cameras were for surveillance only and the images would
not be recorded or reproduced.

"In trials of the procedure in which I have been personally involved I have
not found the process to be invasive," Mr McPaul said.

People who objected to being filmed could instead choose to be directly
supervised, Mr McPaul said.

Mr McPaul said the AMWU had known about the camera use since November and
had a local delegate on the committee that formulated the policy.

"Once again the AMWU has been happy to twist the truth in an attempt to
misinform our employees," Mr McPaul said in a statement.

"The AMWU has been involved since day one and have had plenty of time to
let us know any concerns."

Mr McPaul said the new drug testing policy, which took effect today after a
three-month moratorium, was in everyone's best interests.

"Our employees work with heavy equipment, hot metal and in an underground
environment," Mr McPaul said.

"This means there is little room for error and we cannot afford to have
employees who are adversely affected by alcohol, illicit or prescription
drugs or fatigue."