CALL CENTERS: Labor Unions are watching...

[tolstoi]

---

bai lyt..are your concerns already addressed to the proper authority, like Business Process Association of the Philippines?

also, i heard from the news once that IT establishments are immune from any labor organizations, that is accrding to the law...or maybe i got it wrong.

[LytSlpr]

bai lyt..are your concerns already addressed to the proper authority, like Business Process Association of the Philippines?

also, i heard from the news once that IT establishments are immune from any labor organizations, that is accrding to the law...or maybe i got it wrong.

i don't think they are the right entity to address this particular issue.Â*

i am more than interested if such law exists.

i am just trying to find for DOLE or was it NLRC's reply thru email which i posted here but was lost or deleted.

[FK]

That is the BIGGEST problem. Â*One of the reasons I wanted out actually coz the very same people that are complaining and we were fighting for are scared. Â*Can't also totally blame them though because we do not belong to the same status who has a better alternative and choices in life.

So with this and on a larger scale, I would like to think Ninoy died in vain. hehe!!

people nowadays are just to busy to have money and ignore to fight what is right.

Anyway, some people tend to convince and kidd themselves that it's all about attitude. Â*Well for me, if one's right is already stepped on then no amount of attitude can ever level with that.

i totally agree...

does majority of the call centers policies are bad? or just a their supervisors/managers.

[LytSlpr]

Unions are partners, not costs.
by Cai U. Ordinario, Reporter
The Manila Times

Globalization has always been thought of as the opening of the gates, letting in a deluge of opportunities, wider commodity choices, lower prices of goods and services, faster time to market, speedy communications for even speedier decision-making.

Not all that globalization has brought is good, however, according to Sector Representative Rene Magtubo.

Despite the promise of creating more jobs for Filipinos, globalization seems to have cut employment opportunities, sometimes not even allowing workers to keep their current ones.

Magtubo said that globalization diminishes workers’ benefits and wages in that as trade barriers slide and competition increases, companies tend cut costs to ensure higher profits. As a result, workers’ wages and benefits are least prioritized, Magtubo said.

“At the moment, very intense competition and globalization are pushing governments and companies to formulate policies that would cut the cost of production to lower the price of products. The first cost that is slashed are that of workers’ pay and benefits,� said Magtubo.

In the Philippines, the pressure of cutthroat competition with overseas products and services often leads to retrenching workers or a complete shut down.

According to the October-November 2003 labor survey Magtubo’s ***group*** conducted, 3,403 local establishments/companies closed shop in 2003, up from 1997’s 2,000 figure.

“Today, 3.55 million Filipinos are unemployed, how can that mean more jobs?� he added.

Magtubo also believes globalization ultimately aims to “annihilate unions,� because unions+with their incessant demands+are seen as added cost instead of as partners in growing the business. All the more reason for workers to band together and protect themselves from abusive or neglectful employers.

“Ang tindig ko diyan, mas kailangan lalo na ngayon kasi kung walang unyon, walang pakunÂ*dangan din ‘yung kapitalistang mag-implement ng kanyang labor flexibility measures for purposes of protecting ‘yung profit niya sa reason na ito’y competition [In these times, we need unions all the more because some employers just implement labor flexibility measures to ensure profit due to the keen competition.â€�], he said.

Unions are the right, even a necessity, of a vigilant workforce, which provides a higher standard of living to Filipino workers, and could rid society of greedy employers.

“Unionism not only protects works. It also pushes the industry to shape up while leveling the playing field,� he said.

Tips in organizing a union

In organizing a union, Magtubo said that workers should be careful of two things. One, union organizers should be reliable, not “fly by night� leaders; and two, they should be aware of how management perceives their actions. Without the two things, forming a union may be close to becoming impossible.

“They should watch out for that. If management is hostile, it will find all kinds of moves to prevent workers from forming a union.�

Some companies go as far as “harassing� employees through individual interrogation and negotiation to convince them that the company does not have the resources to respond to the union’s demands. At some point of the negotiation, union members are told the company could be forced to close down the company and cause employees to lose their jobs.

The easiest way is to go under the protective cloak of a federation, which is composed of at least 10 labor organizations, to fast-track the filing and other requirements needed by the Department of Labor and Employment from legitimate labor organizations.

However, in order to avoid mishaps in dealing with pseudo federations, Magtubo said workers should look at the track record of the labor organizations under a particular federation in order to get a glimpse of how good the federation is in protecting its members.

This includes the number of strikes the federation members has had; the strength of each each member organization’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, making sure that the benefits are felt by both management and laborers.

Some of the legitimate labor federations are the National Federation of Labor Unions, National Federation of Labor, and Association of Labor Unions (ALU).

[LytSlpr]

does majority of the call centers policies are bad? or just a their supervisors/managers.

BOTH but not all supervisors though.Â* Regardless, of who the supervisor is there really is a lot of problem with the policies.Â* Some are onerous and some are unlawful. Not to mention, unfair practices and discrimination.

it is really IRONIC that the American people who are mostly Pro-Union and a supposedly American Firm is all of a sudden Anti-Union in our country. the big question is WHY?! do the math..Â*

[FK]

BOTH but not all supervisors though. Regardless, of who the supervisor is there really is a lot of problem with the policies. Some are onerous and some are unlawful.

I just can't imagine how hard is it working for company who has both. No amount of salary could compensate that.

[LytSlpr]

BOTH but not all supervisors though. Regardless, of who the supervisor is there really is a lot of problem with the policies. Some are onerous and some are unlawful.

I just can't imagine how hard is it working for company who has both. No amount of salary could compensate that.

...if one has a principle or at least a choice.

[brian_d]

Hmm... I do agree that the government and all the call centers should do more to protect the welfare of its employees, MEN and WOMEN alike.

Maybe a call center job doesn't have the brightest career prospects as compared to other jobs, but then again so does production work at MEPZ. At least call center employees are paid really, really well and get very good benefits. Siguro naa na sa'y mo react, pero compared to other locally owned companies mas comprehensive pa gani ang health coverage sa call center, mas generous sa paghatag ug leave credits and other benefits. Ironic gani, nga foreign companies are more generous in benefits compared to local ones. Anybody who has worked for a multinational can attest to this.

My point is give them (call center companies) room to improve thier employee policies, they are already one of the friendliest in the country as it is. And yes that means airing out grievances to management. Tinood, American and other multinational companies are really strict when it comes to attendance because it is linked to productivity. What else pa man diay, in the first place they exists for business and profit. In the U.S. man gani there really is no security of tenure, one mistake and you can be fired on the spot. So American worker bees are always on thier toes, giving thier best because they know that one mistake could cause them thier job.

Having a labor union inside call centers at this point though is not feasible. I've consulted some labor/hr personnels on this and here is what they have to say:

The conditions for a labor union to be formed are not present.

Labor unions are formed when there is heightened threat among employees regarding thier security of tenure. This is specially true if:

1. Presence of unskilled, mature workers in the company. Siempre when employees are old and they don't have transferable skills to boot they cling on to thier jobs for dear life. CALL CENTER employees are YOUNG and SKILLED.

2. General dissattiscation of labor conditions and pay. CALL CENTER employees are PAID ABOVE AVERAGE salaries (compared to day time jobs) and despite risks/hazards of working night shifts, job conditions and benefits are generally above market standards.

3. Mature industry. Many unions are formed in the manufacturing sector specially those manufacturing mature products specially commodities. CALL CENTER is a dynamic, 7 year old industry in the country.

Other factors why it is not feasible at present.

*TURN OVER is high. You cannot form a union if the members of the organization are through sliding doors. When they are in and out of the organization in a years time. Note, High Turn over rate is not exactly a bad thing for call centers as long as the rate despite being high is managed well. Kay kung magdugay ang mga employees, mas taas ug sueldo therefore higher cost for the company. Yet doing the same job from the start.

*PRESENCE of competition. When an employee is dissatisfied with his current call center job, all he has to do is resigned sign up with another call center or get a day job.

Maybe in 10 years time, when these 20 something agents are still working CALL CENTER jobs and they begin to fill the crunch. Unya mo-ingon na sila nga "shucks, naniguwang naman ko diri sa call center wa ghapon ko asenso nya maglisod na ko ngita ug lain work, MAG UNION TA UY."

Jjust like every job if in 2 or 3 years time wla ghapon ka ma promote it's time to leave and look for other opportunities. In the meantime, learn new skills that will make you marketable elsewhere. KINI, responsibility sa empleyado. Â*UNIONS are FORMED when every FEW options are left to employees.

It's all up to the CALL CENTER COMPANIES to train thier employees well, ensure them of a clear career path within the industry and allow those who choose to leave to get a job elsewhere, otherwise it's just a MATTER OF TIME. Pero dili pa sa pagkakaron.

[FK]

...if one has a principle or at least a choice.

hinoon...

at least the people in call centers mostly has a choice compared to those working in department stores and manufacturing. Â*Some of this establishments also practices unfair labor practices and give low salaries. huhuhu...

[scooby-doo]

we all have choices. abuses/exploitation occurs in every sector. mind you, it is not only the call centers that will demand most of your time. try working with an auditing firm and you'll know what i mean.