BCTF Privacy Policy

The British Columbia Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of its members’ personal information.  

The BCTF is committed to complying with the British Columbia Personal Information Protection Act, S.B.C. 2003, c. 63 (PIPA). This includes managing the collection, use, disclosure, storage, and ultimate disposition of its members’ personal information in ways that safeguard the privacy of its members.  

Definitions

Personal Information means information about identifiable individuals and includes employee personal information but does not include contact information, or work product information.  

Privacy Officer―means the staff person designated responsibility for ensuring that the BCTF complies with this policy and PIPA.  

Personal information collected

The BCTF collects personal information to fulfill its obligations to members and in the course of providing a variety of services. The types of information collected include:

• name
• home address and telephone number
• birth date
• home email address.  

Additional information may be collected to administer the collective agreement, to fulfill the BCTF’s duty of representation to you, or to provide you with specific services.  

Purposes for collection, use, and disclosure

The BCTF collects, uses, and discloses personal information for the purposes of fulfilling our obligations to you as set out in the BCTF Members’ Guide, to provide specific services as required, and to fulfill its role as the bargaining agent representing members. The purposes for which the BCTF collects, uses, and discloses personal information include, for example:

• to identify you
• to communicate with you
• to confirm your eligibility for services
  • to comply with various professional legal and regulatory requirements
  • to provide services related to the Salary Indemnity Plan, legal services, grievances, Workers’ Compensation Board (WorkSafe BC) advocacy, Ministry of Education Professional Conduct Unit (formerly Teacher Regulation Branch) advocacy, and pension plan advocacy and assistance
  • to provide Provincial Specialist Association memberships and associated services
• to conduct research.  

Protection of personal information

The BCTF is committed to protecting your personal information from unauthorized use or disclosure. Its commitment means that:

• it will use your personal information only for the purposes it has identified.
• it will not disclose your personal information without your permission unless it is required or authorized by law to do so.
• it will employ appropriate security measures to ensure only authorized individuals have access to your personal information
• it will keep your personal information only as long as is reasonably necessary
• it will destroy your information using a confidential and secure method when your personal information is no longer required  

Individual access

Individuals have the right to request access to their personal information under the control of the BCTF. The Privacy Officer will assist them with their access requests.

Access requests must be submitted by completing the BCTF Access Request Form. You may request a form by sending an email to the BCTF Privacy Officer and returning the form by mail to the BCTF, 100 – 550 West 6th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4P2, Attention Privacy Officer; alternatively, the form can be submitted to the BCTF Privacy Officer electronically by sending it as an attachment in an email to privacy@bctf.ca. In certain situations, further to privacy legislation, the BCTF may not be able to provide access to certain personal information that it holds about an individual. Examples of where it may not provide access include, but are not limited to, situations where:

• the provision may reveal personal information about another individual.
• the information is subject to solicitor-client privilege.
• the information was collected in relation to an investigation or a contravention of a federal or provincial law.
• the provision could reasonably be expected to threaten the health or safety of an individual.   

If access cannot be provided, the BCTF will notify the individual making the request, in writing, of the reasons for the refusal. Where access has been provided and where the information is demonstrated to be inaccurate or incomplete, the BCTF will amend the information as required. Where the information needs to be provided in an alternative manner to ensure the health of safety of the individual, the BCTF will notify the individual making the request.   

Questions or concerns regarding BCTF’s privacy procedures

An individual may direct their general questions regarding privacy at the BCTF, as well as any questions or concerns regarding BCTF’s compliance with this policy, by mail to the BCTF at 100 – 550 West 6th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4P2, Attention Privacy Officer.  

The BCTF will investigate any complaints received in writing. If a complaint is found to be justified, the BCTF will take appropriate measures to resolve the complaint including, if necessary, amending its policies and procedures. An individual will be informed in writing of the outcome of the investigation regarding their complaint.

(May 04 Ex, p. 9) 
(June 09 Ex, pp. 10–13)