CALL CENTERS, Labor Union-Free?

[LytSlpr]

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In the center where I used to work for, the agents have to surrender their cellphones. Their reason is that it will affect the agent's quality of work. Even if it does, that is the agent's prerogative and the supervisor's look to reprimand or punish the agent accordingly. Of course supervisors are not affected so what do they care. There are countless reasons that cellphones SHOULD NOT be surrendered unless it is a SECURITY matter but definitely not for mere QUALITY because it is a very important and private device. When they sent an email regarding this, they were silent on what they will do if they will ever lost a surrendered cellphone.

They always set parameters for the employees but never for the management. The policies and procedures works only one way. Being strict is okay as long as it works both ways, not double-standard.

Call centers in the US or any other country do not allow mobile phones inside the center. This is due to security purposes for cc info and for no disturbance to the VOIP lines going to the headset. Another thing also is that if the Service level agreement demands such restrictions the service level management rolled out to service delivery and operations have to implement the policies.

You have no idea yet what how strict call center security is yet, if you have friends in etelecare here in Cebu and most specially those who are in etelecare Manila handling the financial account. They are not allowed to bring in anything to the center and there are 3 dedicated cameras per each agent recording all that happens in a day.

cc info can be aquired manually even without an electronic device. it should also be a must not to have cellphones on the floor but necessarily be surrendered for personal reasons. if an employee is caught using one on the floor then he should accept the consequence and should be sanctioned accordingly. that is why there are supes/TL & cameras.

BTW, a contact center here handling a CREDIT account also restrict the agents to bring electronic devices with no email & internet access because of the nature of the account and as agreed in the SLA but I don't think such SLA exists in its INTERNET account.

[LytSlpr]

yup I agree with you, having a union is good. Pero bisan pa naay union kong ang management dili mo agree wala gihapon gamit.

mao bitaw mahitabo ng strike.

that's why they have to come to a compromise & if there should be a strike then the company SHOULD be out of business for not giving the employees what is due to them or treating them accordingly. we cannot deny it, there are much more COMPANIES exploiting the EMPLOYEES than the other way around.

there are contact centers here that are treating people as machines. as in no more room for human nature, 99% zero-tolerance. everytime you don't comply, they sanction you. as in every little thing. you have to work for every second they pay you & obey every bidding no questions asked. their usual excuse... because the employees signed a contract. the contract has no parameters. basically it says that they will assign you, make you work anywhere they want, when they want and you cannot say anything about it or else... because it's what it says in the contract.

the pay may be higher but it doesn't say where your work stops.

[FK]

I think bai pwede man tingali mo makig-meet with the management, and hope they listen.

try asking this question in DOLE forum bai, naa mga abogado nga maka tubag.

kong makasugat ko ani klaseha... LBM jud dayon.

[LytSlpr]

thanks for the info FK!

DOLE ought to check on call centers because aside from the hocus-pocus & hanky-panky, there are a lot of abuse, exploitation and ill-employment practice going on inside call centers. Call Center companies think that since they are bringing in a lot of jobs & big revenues they can already get away with anything. Most people has this wrong impression that life in a call center is sweet since people just take calls and it is run by Americans. They're dead wrong! Though the pay is good, a call center's system is made so that people can be run and work like machines or robots. A callcenter is a "classy" sweatshop. Call center people are aware that it is a matter of choice for working in call center but we believe it is worth looking into anyway.

In one call center a single agent is made to handle Installation Services, Queue Management, Sales, Customer Service and soon Technical Support all by one person with a Average Handling Time of only 7 minutes 30 seconds. Now that is SLAVE DRIVING! but nobody can do anything because they said it is stipulated in the contract. The company should hire more agents & let them handle 2-3 lines of business instead, not let 1 agent handle ALL departments. It started with only 1 line of business per agent but they gradually increased the volume of work and responsibility but the pay is the same. Where is the line drawn?

Their excuse? because the agents are paid by the hour. That is true but a human being can only do so much at a given time. Not to mention the unholy hours of working graveyard. Plus the policies work only one-way ALL PRO-MANAGEMENT.

Why don't people RESIGN you say? because finding a better paying job in this country is so hard and that leaves the working class no choice and nobody to protect their rights and welfare. These foreign companies are very much aware of this and is protected and encouraged by our government to boot. Now that is PURE EXPLOITATION!

[FK]

onsa man tubag sa taga DOLE bai?

i don't think ang mga taw nga naa sa gawas gusto mahitabo na ang inyong na experience diri. I think ang ga tukod ana diri sa Cell Centers mao sad-an.... nagpasalig sila sa ilang mga amo sa gawas nga madala ra ang trabaho.

Check your global values,policies og uban pa... basin ang taga dinhi ray ga patoman anang mga butanga.

kami bitaw diri naa man sila policy nga gipatoman nga wala diri... so ni reklamo ang uban, after that ga-votation kong kinsa pabor. unfortunately daghan ang ganahan sa policy.

[LytSlpr]

Having a UNION in a CALL CENTER is PERFECTLY LEGAL according to DOLE.

According to DOLE...

Dear Sir/Madam:

Art. 243 of the Labor Code, provides that: "All persons employed in commercial, industrial and agricultural enterprises and in religious, charitable, medical or educational institutions whether operating for profit or not, shall have the right to self-organizations of their own choosing for purposes of collective bargaining. x x x"

Art. 245 of the Labor Code, provides that: "Managerial employees are not eligible to join, assist or form any labor organization. Supervisory employees shall not be eligible for membership in a labor organization of the rank-and-file employees but may join, assist or form separate labor organizations of their own.

We hope that this answers your queries.

and to think that our MANAGERS & HR officers deceived us by saying that it is ILLEGAL to put up a union in a multinational/EPZAs.

I also consulted a lawyer specializing in labor law and he confirmed this information.

[FK]

so if you think the only way that the management will listen to their employees is through a union... then why not start one?

basta tinarong lang ang tuyo sa union... payts kaau na.
paminawa lang sab ninyo ang side sa company. para patas ba.

[LytSlpr]

the employees of the said company will not start a union to abuse the company but to stop their unfair labor practice and unjust company policies which is a lot. a compromise should be met because it is futile to paralyze your employer which is also the source of income.

technically it will be a union but it will function more as an association or a fellowship organization so that the employees will have one and stronger voice because if an employee will voice out their grievance individually the managmenet won't listen.

[pulmoaide]

yeah.. wala gyud organization dire ang mga call center

[Ang-bading-tismoso]

Is it true that Labor Unions cannot be organized in Call Centers & Export Processing Zones as one of the perks given to them for investing in the Philippines? What if there are abuses, whom will the employees go to? the company HRD? now that would be a BIG JOKE!

If an employee signed a waiver or a contract, will that waive or supersede the existing labor rights in the constitution?

Any attorneys in the house? Any information on this will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hilig jud ang bayot sa mga tsismis. Tsismis is my business in showbiz. Bayot nga animal.