Re: Freedom of Speech?

[Dave Faneuf <tklaundry@juno.com>]

On Mon, 1 Jul 2002 15:09:12 -0400 "JJAndrew" <jjandrew@gwi.net> writes:
> 
> Donna wrote:
> > from this morning's NewsBlues:
> > ...Viacom employees have been "asked" to sign a "Business Conduct
> Statement." On page 9, in a section titled "Talking to Members of the
News 
> Media," Viacom take a chilling step toward restricting freedom of
speech.
> > We quote.... "Unless you have been officially designated as a
spokesperson, you 
> may not comment or provide documents or information to members of the
news 
> media on matters pertaining to Viacom's business or any other internal 
> matter. 

Andy wrote:
> How does one know who might be responsible for any alleged 
> violations if they were "anonymous", and remained that way??  Why would
anyone 
> enter into a contract with built in excuses for dismissal, for
apparently no 
> reason at all?? Am I missing something here?
> Andy Raynes
> Lisbon, Me.

First  It really isn't too difficult to determine who might have spilled
the beans on any given story provided only a limited number of people had
the knowledge to talk on the issue to begin with, but if it were common
knowledge within the company that would make it tougher.
Second, it appears to be more a condition of employment language not a
collective barganing or personal service contract.   I would think that
the various bargaining units would demand that the issue go to collective
bargaining before Viacom tries to enforce it unless this is something
that has been in effect for years, but as a former CBS employee I can
tell you I never saw anything like it in the CBS "The Company That You
Keep" policy book (at least I think that was the name of it).
df