This is topic Carmike Managers beware! in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Greg Winn (Member # 1100) on 03-13-2002, 01:13 AM:
Within the last 5 or 6 months you have been ask to give two copies of your theatre keys to your DM. These keys are to access any door from your front door to and including any doors that lead to "your" office (and I use that term loosely)
In case you are not aware, CC has employed a former manager, who has worked his ass of to gain a Private Investigators license, to come into "your theatre" and install hidden cameras and listening devices so that CC can decide if you are honest or not.
Their spy is the former City Manager of Nashvile Tn. who was the only person who had any in authority ramaining with the co., in his district; after the division mgr. and district mgr, were terminated. He was demoted to a single screen and left to find a way to work himself back into a position of power within the co.
He and CC have succeded in their mission. You, the mgr. have no privacy in what is called "your office" even if you work the long hours that CC requires in the summer and on holidays. BEWARE: DON'T SCRATCH WHERE YOU DON'T SOMEONE ELSE TO SEE, EVEN IN "YOUR OFFICE".
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Posted by Wes Hughes (Member # 981) on 03-13-2002, 01:41 AM:
It is well within their rights...and it shouldn't be a big deal if you have nothing to hide.I feel much safer from many standpoints in complexes with good camera coverage.
Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 03-13-2002, 02:56 AM:
I have installed and used many hidden camera systems in my past. Caught several very bad thieves. The only time I scratch is when I am initiating mating rituals.
Dave
Posted by Greg Winn (Member # 1100) on 03-13-2002, 03:13 AM:
I understand that it is within any company's right to observe it's operating procedures being followed. That is why there are al/cops reports. I do not believe that CC has a right to invade a managers privacy within his office. If a mgr. spends 12-14, per day on a weekend night or thru the summer, on a 5-6 day basis, at his theatre, where should he go to have some kind of break if not the sign that CC puts up that says MANAGER? in my opinion , that should be a place where a manager- manages his or her theatre without being concidered a crook. If CC thinks you ARE one, it is their bad jugement in hiring you in the first place.
Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 03-13-2002, 09:19 AM:
I any of this actualy leagle? I mean you have to have a judges permision to wire tap phones. I would think that using an auditing system and occasional suprise visits by the companies security teams would catch any wrong doing. From what I understand that any use of video cameras and recording of video images requires that the tapes be erased every 24hrs. At least that's the way it is in our state.
Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 03-13-2002, 09:50 AM:
'Phones are a public network operated under regulation, hence the need for a court order, but I guess that, just as long as you're not breaking any other law, what you do within your own building is your business, and that includes putting up concealed CCTV cameras.I wouldn't like to be working for a company which feels the need to do that, but AFAIK it isn't illegal over here.
BTW, does the law on erasing videotapes every 24 hours just refer to CCTV, or all forms of video recording? If it's everything, then presumably everyone in Kentucky who has a small collection of off-air VHS recordings on their bookshelf is a criminal!
Posted by Wes Hughes (Member # 981) on 03-13-2002, 12:20 PM:
AFAIK cameras are legal in every part of a premise except the restrooms. There is the occassional squabble about whether the employees should be notified about the cameras or whether it can be done secretly.As far as hiring practices, you NEVER know when you hire someone how honest they are...even people that have worked for you for years may steal from the business. I have had a 65 year old lady that worked the box office for 20 years at one theatre embezzle thousands of dollars. You might say that management should have been more on he lookout for things such as this, but that is difficult at times.
Like I said in a previous post, I ENJOY working in a premise with good camera coverage...from protecting myself from any possible accusation to catching dishonest employees to having film documentation of any issue that may arise with a customer. I once had to break up a huge fight in the lobby of one theatre. When the police came BOTH parties that were engaged in the brawl tried to implicate me and my managers with starting the fight and throwing the first blow...Serious charges could have resulted with the police, and we could have lost our jobs...until I replayed the tape from one of the lobby cameras.
Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 03-13-2002, 01:07 PM:
I have no problem with "camera coverage", as it is done in many places. Banks have them. Convenience stores have them. Freeways have them, too. So do the high crime areas in Tacoma and other cities. They are mounted on light poles. Prostitute strips have them, also. They are everywhere.As a matter of fact, in your workplace, they could save your butt in event of an actual armed robbery or worse.
Get used to them....they are not going to go away.
Posted by Jerry Chase (Member # 660) on 03-13-2002, 01:15 PM:
As a DM, I had keys to every door in my district. If the report is true, Carmike is foolish for waiting so long to let a DM have keys.Some of our safes had video surveillence, many concession stands and boxoffices did as well. BFD.
I'll put it plain and simple, my own performance as a manager began improving when (long before there were security cameras) I began acting as though there was a camera on me at all times. If such actions terrify lusers, too bad for them.
Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 03-13-2002, 05:05 PM:
I don't doubt that it is within the rights of an employer to monitor his employees by means of security cameras, telephone monitoring, etc. In some environments, cameras can be a good thing and will help to protect honest people.Having said that, it seems a bit underhanded to go about this without first notifying the employees of the monitoring. For me, there is a big difference between a hidden camera installed without the manager's knowledge and a large camera mounted in plain view (or a hidden camera installed with the employees' knowledge).
In cases of suspected theft, I'm not opposed to secret monitoring, but I would not particularly want to work for a company that made a regular practice of monitoring all employees without notifying them.
From a management point of view, I would think that it would be more effective to tell employees that they will be monitored _before_ something bad happens than to simply use the evidence collected to fire people who screw up.
Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 03-13-2002, 05:17 PM:
"From a management point of view, I would think that it would be more effective to tell employees that they will be monitored _before_ something bad happens than to simply use the evidence collected to fire people who screw up."Scott, you are absolutely right. And don't forget monitoring can extend to email and web surfing. I declined a job offer from a company that was routinely monitoring all employee email in hopes they would catch someone doing something against company policy. It may be within the company's rights to do so, but I don't have to participate in it (I would have been their network admininstrator).
Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 03-13-2002, 06:09 PM:
the 24 hour erase thing is only for cctv, and that was ten years ago. I do not know hwat the requirment is now. I would say it is still the same. I knew the owner of a local store here in town and that is what they told him when he instaled his securty cameras. Basically you can't have these tapes sitting around. You must reuse the tape over after 24 hours.
Posted by Greg Winn (Member # 1100) on 03-14-2002, 12:02 AM:
Carmike has only 3 or 4 theatres in my district that have security cameras in the lobby out of 15 or 16 theatres. We are told to record on a 24 hr. basis and have enough tapes to last for 31 days. You use 1 tape per day and you reuse that tape in the next month according to the days date, i.e. 01/01/02 will be used on 02/01/02. These tapes can be requested at any time by the home office so these tapes are kept for a month's time without being erased.
I agree that the use of cameras are beneficial to the business. But I think they should only be allowed in areas that the public has access to. Each manager has employees that are asked by CC to be "secret informers". They have a web site where anyone can voice their opinion, customer, employee, vendor, technician, repair workers, ANYONE! So in my opinion if you are violating co. policy, it will not be long until your wrong doings will be uncovered.
I just disagree with the cameras in the office that is designated for the manager.
Company's are so concerned with thieft and protecting their interest and keeping the customer happy, that everyone is forgetting the theatre manager, and their employees, who have willingly given up holidays and weekends, ball games with his or her children, family functions, or anything else that most other people get to enjoy, because that manager or employee, likes the theatre business. Then to be always watched makes me feel like there is no faith in me from my superiors.
Where is their respect in people? I have faith in every employee that I hire. Sometimes I am disappointed, but very rarely. The majority of the time I am pleased.
I guess that I would like to get back to good old American values. Respect your fellow man, trust in your neighbor, look at the glass as half full, treat everyone else the way you want to be treated. And also,it is my right, to expect privacy in a place that is specified as my office.
Posted by Brent Mahaney (Member # 1090) on 03-14-2002, 02:32 AM:
I can certainly understand the need for video cameras with respect to deterring vandalism. I can even comprehend pointing them at your box and concession drawers. But when you put them in your manager's office with absolutely no probable cause, you are telling that manager, "We don't trust you." That's always good for morale. Certainly, a company can use whatever standard it deems necessary to protect it's monetary interests, but it seems counterproductive in a sense. Granted, if a manager is doing his job, he has nothing to fear. On the other hand, do you really want to work for a company who has such little respect for you that they rummage through your office and install cameras that study your every move? On a personal level, I think it stinks. There must be a better, less obtrusive way to monitor managerial progress (or lack thereof).Maybe this is far-fetched, but I tend to think that if certain theatre chains would spend a little more time in the hiring and training process, and if they offered a higher salary for these managerial positions, they would get more quality managers. Yes, there would still be some bad apples, but they would be fewer and further between.
But what do I know? (That's rhetorical, by the way). 
Posted by Jerry Chase (Member # 660) on 03-14-2002, 08:34 AM:
Armed robberies occur in offices. I would have loved to have an 8 x 10 glossy of the asshole that robbed me.The office is NOT a place to hide or scratch your crotch. This is one area where I'll disagree with the idea that theatre companies encroaching too far into managers lives.
There have been times, especially during disciplinary sessions or terminations, where I've thought a videotape of the events would have been good security for ME. One false case of sexual harrassment could change most managers minds pretty quickly.
Posted by Owen Shave (Member # 1156) on 03-14-2002, 09:08 AM:
For those of you working in theatres in the UK, there are fairly strict rules with regards to the data protection act. For 'brief' details of how the act applies to CCTV, check out: http://www.dataprotection.gov.uk/cctvcop.htm#access Owen
Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 03-15-2002, 12:20 AM:
Rule #1when talking with employees privately (in an office etc) or when having a disciplinary meeting ALWAYS have a witness. (Another Manager, Supervisor etc...)
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--Sean McKinnon
Manager
Loews Cineplex Entertainment
Liberty Tree Mall 20
Danvers, Mass
www.enjoytheshow.com
Posted by Jim Ziegler (Member # 86) on 03-15-2002, 02:04 PM:
Ok, just a thought, where is Carmike putting the recorders? If they are in the theatre, who is changing the tapes? If the recorders are not in the theatre, where are they? Wireless video transmitters don't have that long of a range...
Posted by Jerry Chase (Member # 660) on 03-15-2002, 02:24 PM:
Cameras can be set up for monitoring over a VPN on the internet.
Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 03-15-2002, 05:58 PM:
Eight years ago a theater in bountiful was robbed at gunpoint and all 11 employees were taken to and tied up in, guess where, "the managers office". It was four hours before anyone noticed that people werent coming home on time, as it was after closing. I think even crime can occur in the managers office. And believe it or not, the title of Managers Office doesnt mean the manager owns the office, unless the manager is actually the owner. As an owner, i would be truly suspicious of someone who wanted "privacy" in my building.
Dave
Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 03-16-2002, 09:58 AM:
My own thought on this is; installing the cameras is OK, *but* the employees must be told they are being monitored.Besides being the decent thing to do, (and legally required in some states) the goal is to prevent theft. If an employee knows he is being monitored, he will be less likely to steal in the first place.
I know some want to keep installed cameras a secret, in case ex-employees rob the place. Well, it takes about 10 minutes for the kids to find them anyway, so forget about the secrecy.
Unless the theater is wired up to the internet, installing secret cameras would seem to be expensive (you'd need a way to record the images, to switch mutiple cameras, etc.) Even if the theater is wired, it would cost money. So, I would guess that a company would only do it at places that they already suspect there's a problem.
Posted by Jim Ziegler (Member # 86) on 03-17-2002, 03:30 AM:
Jerry, wouldn't you still need additional equipment to run the cameras in this fashion (i.e. a computer and net connection if they are webcams).. If they are hidden cameras, where are they hiding this equipment?
Posted by Jerry Chase (Member # 660) on 03-17-2002, 01:30 PM:
The connect has to be there, but that is all. Some cams are self containedHidden cameras can be anywhere, especially if the smaller "spycams" are used. Mini-marts often have them in speaker housings where they are invisible behind the grill.