To wish my boss would piss off?

[BigBWatching]

Boss currently on holiday leaving myself and 3 others to cover. Boss has CCTV on entrances / exits in case of break ins, however has also installed CCTV throughout the building for no reason other than to ‘supervise’ there is no area not monitored. I was told it’s for disciplining slacking, the building is cashless and the cameras are only to view staff.
Boss constantly texts to say they have seen such and such or been listening in to conversations between staff and commenting on what was said. I also receive updates on what’s been ‘observed’ after I’ve clocked off. It’s creeping me out! The building is tiny and it’s complete overkill. Would this bother you? Or am I being sensitive to this on top of so many other issues….

what a complete twat
i was just about to come on here and rant about my stupid twatty boss who sends me stroppy emails on at the weekend and then is surprised when i reply. she's an utter bitch.

outrageous that he can listen to your conversations. literally nowhere to hide. surely vaguely illegal.
i work in somewhere with cctv on all the time and the managers watch it but only if there's a security issue or if someone's hoovering before they should (seriously). it's irksome and a pain in the arse but it's there to keep us safe i guess (retail) but what your boss is doing when there's only 3 of you, god knows.

Get out is my advice, legal or not this is no way to work .
I think I’d reply to boss with oh you mustn’t be very busy to watch what I get up to then hand notice in . Obviously in the real world you can’t you need another job first but I’d be really tempted.

Do you have a union OP? I'd deffo contact acas and join a union then raise it with them they may be able to intervene

I’d be having conversations about things that would make his hair curl.
Personally, I think it’s utterly disgusting that he is doing this. I’d find out the legalities.

Maybe you could all put up some umbrellas so he can't see what you are doing. I'd be rigging one up on my desk / chair as a permanent fixture. Could you imagine the messages that would come through LOL he'd be apoplectic!

Perhaps all of you stop working until he takes away the cameras

This cannot be legal surely 😱 ?

Sounds awful and your boss sounds like a total creep. Definitely look for a new job. It sounds like something out of 1984.

@k1233

Maybe you could all put up some umbrellas so he can't see what you are doing. I'd be rigging one up on my desk / chair as a permanent fixture. Could you imagine the messages that would come through LOL he'd be apoplectic!

He most definitely would, he is very quick to anger and I’m on high alert for it at all times. I couldn’t interfere with the cameras, tbh there is no where to hide, they are situated in every corner of the room, also above desks, work stations, corridor and exits.

@UseOfWeapons

Apologies, I clicked YABU, but that was a mistake. YANBU. That would creep the fuck out of me, I’d agree with pp, contact ACAS for advice. The law around surveillance of employees is complicated:

network-data-cabling.co.uk/blog/cctv-employees-rights/

I’d screenshot his texts though, and keep them in a file, just in case you need them. I’d think about a new job, it’s not the way I’d like to work, although our boss told us that cameras would pick up if we left early!

Slightly off topic, but you know you can change your vote after you cast it? As many times as you'd like.

Slightly off topic, but you know you can change your vote after you cast it? As many times as you'd like.

can you 😱

Use of CCTV has to be necessary and proportionate - it doesn't sound like it is, what is the purpose for processing the personal data?

@Goldenbear

Use of CCTV has to be necessary and proportionate - it doesn't sound like it is, what is the purpose for processing the personal data?

To be a nosey fecker by the looks of it.