Press Release
January 19, 2010

Cebu call center workers troop to DOLE in protest of conditions at work

In probably the first time for the call center industry, a group of employees launched a mass action in protest at violations of their company ranging from delayed salaries to illegal suspension of workers. “The call center business is called a sunshine industry but why are we working in conditions resembling the Dark Ages,” asserted Junnie Montag, an employee at BTS Care for Less Philippines.

The BTS workers held a press conference today at the office of the Partido ng Manggagawa in Mandaue City. After the press conference, the call center employees proceeded to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) office in Cebu City to file a complaint.

Montag said that “We have brought our plight to the attention of the public and the DOLE after a series of complaints and petitions to the management brought no results. Christmas has come and gone but we have yet to receive our December salaries and 13th month pay.”

The call center workers are alleging that aside from delayed wages, BTS has not been remitting deductions for SSS, Philhealth and Pag-ibig, and has not forwarded their tax refunds for two years running.

Yearend Statement
December 30, 2009

Refusing to Pay the Price of a Crisis Not of Their Own Making
The Situation and Struggle of Workers in 2009

The global economic crisis has brought the Philippine economy to the brink of recession. At the onset of the global crisis late last year, the government of Gloria Arroyo initially took the stance that the local economy will be insulated. But despite being in denial and whistling in the dark, the signs are clear of an economy teetering in recession.

There are historic declines in manufacturing and trade. The seasonally adjusted agriculture, fishery and forestry sector contracted by 1.0 percent in the first quarter of 2009 after expanding by 0.9 per cent in the last quarter of 2008. Industry registered its lowest growth for the last twenty years as it sank by 6.6 percent from a 0.1 percent gain in the last quarter.

Even the services sector posted no growth for the first quarter of 2009 compared to 0.2 percent recorded the previous quarter. Investments in fixed capital formation in the first quarter of 2009 plunged to negative 5.7 percent from a growth of 3.0 percent in the same period last year. Investments in durable equipment dropped to negative 17.9 percent from a growth of 9.6 percent a year ago. Total exports dived deeper to negative 18.2 percent from negative 7.7 percent last year. Total imports valued at P530.9 billion pesos at current prices exceeded total exports valued at P528.6 billion pesos, resulting in a trade deficit of P2.3 billion pesos.