Membership handbook

[Willeke]

If you are an IGKT member who has been at one of the more recent AGM's you would know that a printed membership handbook has been requested.

I am working on it but it is harder than expected.
We hope to get it to the printers in time to be send out with the next KM, that should be the summer edition. (As mentioned on the last AGM in Chatham.

Willeke

[Sweeney]

I hope somebody checked data protection law if copies are being sent outside of the EU (as presumably they will be) - this may not be straightforward. The same may apply to names and addresses of members outside the EU being published here ie a potential breach of overseas legislation.

Barry

[Frayed Knot Arts]

What, if any, progress on this idea?  I was regretting the lack of a current membership/address/contact book a while ago as I had an enquiry from N?rnberg on a small project.

[Sweeney]

I seem to recall from a recent KM (which I can't lay hands on at the moment) that Colin Byfleet reported that the Guild had been advised that publication of the membership list would be prohibited under UK data protection law. I don't remember there being any precise details of why not or under what circumstances publication would be permissible though it may be prohibitively expensive to comply perhaps. When I was secretary I did occasionally put members in touch with people needing help or advice though on several occasions members I approached did not want to be involved and we must respect that in any event.

Barry

[Fairlead]

I cannot see how publishing a membership handbook, as we do, will breach the Data Protection Act (Which as far as I know protects PERSONAL information) We all have telephone directories, we all have access to the Voters List - so how does a membership handbook breach the DPA?
There appears to be an anti brigade within the Executive committee (maybe it it just too difficult a task) but I remember the vote at an AGM was in favour, so should they not meet the wishes of the floor?

Gordon

[Fairlead]

May I also ask the Executive committee to look at page 47 of KM 125, where members details are published and reference made to the Handbook

Gordon

[Sweeney]

I cannot see how publishing a membership handbook, as we do, will breach the Data Protection Act (Which as far as I know protects PERSONAL information) We all have telephone directories, we all have access to the Voters List - so how does a membership handbook breach the DPA?
There appears to be an anti brigade within the Executive committee (maybe it it just too difficult a task) but I remember the vote at an AGM was in favour, so should they not meet the wishes of the floor?

Gordon

The problem may be Gordon that the membership list (unlike the other directories you mention) has members from outside the UK and is published outside the UK - at the very least we would I imagine need a positive agreement from each member to be included - we do ask that of new members now but the majority will not have been asked. Personal information includes address and telephone number.  That said I sense that this may have been put in the "too hard" box with the DP Act a good excuse - as with all Govt departments it all depends on the question you ask and how you phrase it! It is also essential to have a working knowledge of the Act before you start.

Barry

[oldpete]

I am no expert on Data Protection, but would this idea work? In KM insert a slip to be filled in and returned if the person is agreeable to their data being published in a handbook and to being transferred world wide. The form would give headings Name. Address. E-Mail. Phone. and maybe other headings. Each member would be allowed to leave blank items they did not wish included. The form would also contain a section to be signed to the effect that any information received would not be passed to other parties without contacting the member concern to ask first. Any handbook produce would then only be sent to those who complete this form.
You can tell me if this is total rubbish
Pete James

[Lasse_C]

I am no expert on Data Protection, but would this idea work? In KM insert a slip to be filled in and returned if the person is agreeable to their data being published in a handbook and to being transferred world wide. The form would give headings Name. Address. E-Mail. Phone. and maybe other headings. Each member would be allowed to leave blank items they did not wish included. The form would also contain a section to be signed to the effect that any information received would not be passed to other parties without contacting the member concern to ask first. Any handbook produce would then only be sent to those who complete this form.
You can tell me if this is total rubbish
Pete James

Actually, it would probably work!
I am no legal expert (and certainly not on international law), but every law and rule I have ever seen concerning Personal Data Protection all have (at least) one thing in common: They allow for the individual to give permission to publish personal data in one form or another. Since this will concern the laws from several countries it can be complicated and needs to be checked out, but I think it might work.

In other words; If the Personal Data Protection laws in the concerned countries have (as I am fairly certain they do) have a "permission clause" in common, the legal solution to the problem is not too difficult. To solve it practically means some work, however - but that?s another matter. 

[capellagroup]

I hereby give permission for the IGKT to publish any details of me it has on record in a Members' handbook or similar.
John Bennett