Penalize companies ignoring advisory on health, safety issues

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The Gabriela Women’s Partylist on Monday urged government to penalize private companies, particularly business processing outsource firms, for putting in danger the health and safety of their employees by requiring them to report for work yesterday.

This developed as the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines urged private firm employers to provide their workers with pay, even if they are unable to come in to work because of the ashfall from Taal Volcano.

TUCP president and Rep.. Raymond Democrito Mendoza asked for compassion for workers who will have to face the effects of the possible eruption of Taal.

Represented in the Lower House by Rep. Arlene Brosas, the partylist organization assailed BPOs who required their workers to report for work despite the high alert levels raised by government in connection with the Taal volcanic eruption.

Gabriela said BPO’s have ignored government warnings and advise over the dangers of the volcanic activity.

“We have received information that employees of most BPO firms located in Sta. Rosa, Laguna which is about 20 kilometers from Taal, were still required to report to work despite the high alert level raised over the Taal volcano,” said Gabriela in a press statement.

The group said government should enforce the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Law and “penalize companies who have violated the safety standards by putting workers’ lives at risk.

The organization added: “We would like to remind BPO firms, as well as all businesses in the country that this is an occupational safety and health issue.”

Cited was Section 6 of the Occupational Safety and Health Law or RA11058 that workers have the right not to report to work , “without threat or reprisal from the employer if, as determined by the DOLE, an imminent danger situation exists in the workplace that may result in illness, injury or death.”

“BPO firms that fail to comply with OSH standards must be held liable for non-compliance with the safety of the workers, especially in life-threatening disasters, the partylist group stated.

Meanwhile, Mendoza called on the private sector to temporarily ignore their “no work, no pay” policy in this time of emergency.

“How will our workers be able to protect themselves and their families if the No Work, No Pay scheme is retained? It is impossible for some to make it through the roads to reach their places of work,” Mendoza said. - By Ben Rosario

Call center workers urged to form unions

AFP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—To protect their welfare as workers and to take advantage of the full benefits of their labor, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) has urged young professionals particularly workers in the information technology sector to join or form unions.

“I encourage yuppies particularly those in call centers to join or create unions so they can have a voice in their work…,” said Gerard Seno, executive vice president of the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) in a statement.

Through unions, Seno said workers can “negotiate a contract like fair and safe workplace, better wages, a secure retirement or separation pay, family-oriented policies such as paid sick leave and other benefits.”

Because call center workers handle delicate jobs, Seno said they must be compensated substantially.

“Workers in the call center industry are also considered one of the most vulnerable workers because they work at night when their bodies are supposed to sleep,” he said.

“Customer service representatives, for example, interact mostly with stressful customers. So they should get more in terms of wages and benefits because of the precarious characteristics of their work. They can maximize what they can get through a union. And we have union organizers who will assist them in every step of the way,” he added.

According to him, “gone are the days when unions are perceived obstructionist.”

“Management today should look at forming unions as a way to promote productive workforce that provides better services and products. They should treat unions as a way of meeting the needs of their workforce in this modern age of flexible and non-traditional work environments,” he said.

TUCP said there are 1.04 million BPO workers in the Philippines as of September 2014.

Bill filed in Congress

In 2013, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago filed a Magna Carta for Call Center Workers.

The bill seeks to enforce the rights of call center workers to organize unions to have safe and healthy working environments given the long hours they spend at their work stations.
Santiago expressed alarm over reports that business process outsourcing (BPO) companies discouraged labor organizations.

She cited health and occupational safety issues in BPO, adding that the Philippines cannot truly boast about its BPO industry to the world if it does not comply with the most basic of international labor standards. - Nestor Corrales |INQUIRER.net