Bill to protect call-center workers refiled in House

A BILL that seeks to promote and protect the rights of Filipinos who flock to business-process outsourcing (BPO) companies for immediate employment has been refiled in the House of Representatives.

House Bill 2592, or the “BPO Workers’ Welfare and Protection Act of 2010,” authored by party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino of Kabataan, seeks to apply the prescribed labor standards in the Labor Code and institutionalize additional benefits to address specific work-related problems and issues peculiar to the nature of BPO work.

BPO companies are now among the most sought-after employment in the Philippines.

The Philippines continues to attract BPO firms despite challenges that hit the global economy owing to its good educational system and English-speaking people, according to the Philippine consulate general in New York.

Philippine BPO players, led by the Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPAP), highlighted the Philippines’ achievement—emerging as the world’s second major BPO player, next to India, particularly in nonvoice services­­—at the recent World Business Process Outsourcing Forum in New Jersey

Philippine Consul General to New York Cecil Rebong said representatives from 10  BPO companies, led by Oscar Sañez, BPAP president and chief executive officer, received various queries from foreign BPO companies attending the forum in late July on how they could penetrate the Philippine market.

When Palatino filed the bill last 14th Congress, his office received numerous feedback from BPO managers, call-center agents, and even mothers of BPO workers, expressing concern over the working conditions in many of the companies in this industry.

“Among the problems we’ve noticed from the feedback we have received is that BPO companies devise mechanisms to prevent many of their employees from becoming regular employees, despite having been employed as probationary workers or trainees for more than six months,” he said.

The refiled bill contains two new provisions, such as the mandatory regularization of all employees who have worked for at least six months in the company, and the standardization of restroom breaks, aside from the standardization of the medical checkup benefits for all workers.

Besides these provisions, Palatino retained much of the rights and benefits that were incorporated in the first bill for BPO workers’ welfare and protection, from asserting their right to organize and establish formations and unions, to asserting their right to due process in administrative proceedings.

Salient proposals in the new measure include:

Regularization of all BPO workers upon the sixth month of employment as trainee or apprentice, or upon the completion of a maximum probationary training period of six months.
Standardized restroom breaks not shorter than five minutes each, with intervals of two hours during their working hours.
Entitlement to medical benefits upon entry in the BPO company and not merely upon regularization
Right to self-association, to engage in collective bargaining, and to participate in democratic exercises

Palatino said in a recent study on the BPO industry, the International Labor Organization (ILO) said that while the BPO industry provides relatively good quality jobs, “key changes in the BPO industry policies and practices” need to be pushed to improve work conditions.

He said the study reported that 48 percent of BPO workers suffer from insomnia, while 54 percent from fatigue. Of which, 45.6 percent cited that harassment from irate clients are among the causes of work-related stress among workers, 41 percent from excessive and tedious workload, 37.4 percent from performance demands, 33.7 percent from monotony and 33.4 percent from regular night work.

It also noted high work-force attrition or staff turnover rates which need to be addressed by “redesigning” work processes, giving BPO workers autonomy and discretion.

Palatino expressed confidence the bill will get the support not only of the agents but of call-center owners and managements, as well.

“There is no reason for owners and managers to oppose this measure. Improving the agents’ welfare will also mean greater productivity and lower work-force attrition rate for them.”

“This industry grants apparent and immediate employment opportunities to many of our young people. It is only just that we ensure the rights and welfare of those who have chosen to rely on this ‘sunshine industry,’” he added.

Citing a report of the ILO, Palatino said that the Philippines has the second-biggest BPO industry in the world. There are about 500,000 BPO workers and 900,000 more is expected to be employed this year. Last year the industry posted a total earning of $7 billion a year. (With E. Torres) –Fernan Marasigan / Reporter, BUsinessmirror