VIC Can an industry body forward your personal complaint email to your employer?

[Mike Love]

OK, So of course I always get myself in trouble cause of my big mouth!
I spoke my mind to an industry body that we pay annual fees to, about a situation they seem to do little to fix.
They didn't like my brash, direct "tone" so they replied to me and cc'd my employers in on the email that I sent them.

Is this legal? And if not, what can I do about it?

Thanks again you awesome people! (I will try to keep my opinions to myself in future!) Haha as if!

 

[Rod]

Yes, if you were contacting the industry body as a representative of your employer.

 

[Mike Love]

Yes, if you were contacting the industry body as a representative of your employer.

Thanks for the reply.
But I wasn't, I contacted the industry body as an individual complaining about their inaction.
They got annoyed with me and cc'd in the directors of the company I work for.

 

[sammy01]

if you were writing as an employee of that company (it seems you were) then responding with a cc to your boss isn't illegal.

 

[Atticus]

Is this legal? And if not, what can I do about it?

Are you just curious or has some consequence flowed to you from the email?

I assume it's the industry body that your complaint about being lax was aimed at... Does your employer not agree with you?

 

[Mike Love]

I'm not sure what my employer thinks. But the reply was insinuating that my emails were inappropriate and disrespectful.
It can affect relationships etc, even if no direct action is taken.
I'm just pretty annoyed that he sent my personal complaint email to them, via cc, and think that is a breach of privacy?

 

[Rod]

Without knowing the parties and without seeing the emails it is hard to know.

The right to privacy is very weak in Australia and I'd be surprised if there was any recourse for a breach of privacy.

Interfering with your employment is different and if your employment ceased as a result of them 'interfering', you may have a cause of action.

 

[sammy01]

OK, So of course I always get myself in trouble cause of my big mouth!
I spoke my mind to an industry body that we pay annual fees to, about a situation they seem to do little to fix.
They didn't like my brash, direct "tone" so they replied to me and cc'd my employers in on the email that I sent them.

Solution? sshhh.... Keep your big mouth closed.
Oh get grumpy, write me an abusive response. OR bring it in tight and pay attention.
You wrote to them about something that they 'seem to do little to fix'. They don't wanna be reminded of how badly they're dealing with this thing (no idea what the thing is, because you've not elaborated).

So unless it is costing you big $ or causing you to work more than you're getting paid to work OR nobody is gonna die as a result, then SSHHH is good advice especially if you like the job and don't wanna get sacked.

 

[Mike Love]

Solution? sshhh.... Keep your big mouth closed.
Oh get grumpy, write me an abusive response. OR bring it in tight and pay attention.
You wrote to them about something that they 'seem to do little to fix'. They don't wanna be reminded of how badly they're dealing with this thing (no idea what the thing is, because you've not elaborated).

So unless it is costing you big $ or causing you to work more than you're getting paid to work OR nobody is gonna die as a result, then SSHHH is good advice especially if you like the job and don't wanna get sacked.

The issue is an ongoing one - basically we do lots of work - like 30 hours of work with a client and then get paid nothing! It's a big issue..

And I run my own business. But my business uses the licence of a larger business.

So the industry body forwarded my complaint email to the larger business, of which they had no business knowing, as I am allowed to make a complaint.

Or I could just take it up the ar%$. I'd rather not... ouch!

 

[Mike Love]

Without knowing the parties and without seeing the emails it is hard to know.

The right to privacy is very weak in Australia and I'd be surprised if there was any recourse for a breach of privacy.

Interfering with your employment is different and if your employment ceased as a result of them 'interfering', you may have a cause of action.

Hi Rod,
I appreciate your reply.
OK, so I am a mortgage broker.
What I complained about was the "Channel Conflict" where the big banks take 30 days to assess a loan brought by a broker, and approve it over lunch if brought direct to the branch.
I spent 30 hours working on a file with a client, who eventually got sick of waiting, and a big bank approved his loan in 2 hours.

So I complained to our industry body. They told me they would have a chat to ministers etc!
I pointed out the politicians biggest donors are the banks and nothing would happen, and we need to take action that the banks would respond to.

He wrote back saying that my "militant" action I should take up with my aggregator, and told me I was disrespectful - and forwarded my compliant to them without my permission.
I am yet to hear from them, however, I do not know what consequences might come from this in the future.

I am pretty sure he breached my privacy, regardless of whether or not I suffered a financial loss, yet.