CEBU-BASED call center workers on Thursday lodged a formal complaint before the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office 7 against several business process outsourcing (BPO) companies that allegedly violated occupational safety and labor standards in the aftermath of the September 30 earthquake.
The BPO Industry Employees Network (BIEN)-Cebu said it had received ‘hundreds of complaints’ in less than two days, citing incidents where companies compelled employees to report to work despite the aftershock tremors and threatened sanctions against those who opted to prioritize their families and personal safety.
Among the allegations raised were reports that one BPO firm required agents to continue taking calls while the earthquake was ongoing, while another company was accused of blocking exits on one of its floors to prevent workers from leaving.
Employees who refused to report for work were reportedly issued notices to explain, stripped of attendance incentives, and subjected to administrative sanctions.
‘This example merely shows and emphasizes the corporate greed of BPO companies, highlighting profit over the welfare and safety of their own agent,’ BIEN-Cebu spokesperson Kyle Enero said.
‘It also shows the negligence of the government itself in regulating situations like this, when it should declare a temporary suspension to ensure the safety of the employees.’
The group also criticized the government’s decision not to declare an imminent danger situation, instead leaving it to companies to decide whether operations should continue.
BIEN-Cebu said this approach exposed thousands of employees and their families to further risks.
‘If the government can suspend classes due to the need to inspect school buildings, they should also rightfully require BPO companies and their building administrators to provide a detailed inspection and safety report to ensure that resumption of work does not threaten worker safety,’ the group said.