Call Centre Workers Demand: Freedom to Organise, Freedom to Bargain

NYON, Switzerland - A union makes the difference between low-quality, high-risk, isolating jobs and a secure, fulfilling career in the world’s call centres, said UNI Global Union today.

October is Call Centre Action Month and UNI and its affiliates around the world will be calling on one company in particular, Telefonica, to give its workers the chance to have a union.

Most of the world’s call centre workers are closely monitored, expected to meet unrealistic performance targets, have low job discretion, earn low wages, have no union or labour rights and lack job security, according to a global study from Cornell University in 2007 and re-confirmed in a report released by UNI today called “A World on the Phone.”

In 2000, Telefonica became one of the world’s first companies to sign a global agreement, guaranteeing basic labour rights for all of its workers.

However, many Telefonica workers in Europe and the Americas are still denied the right to freedom of association.

“UNI calls upon Telefonica to honour its commitment made in the global agreement that allows any worker for the company, whether they are from Madrid or Mexico City, the freedom to bargain and organise for a fair deal without interference from management,” said UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings.

Throughout October, UNI and its affiliates in Ireland, Mexico, Brazil, the United States, Colombia, Cameroon, South Africa, Belgium, Tunisia, France and Australia are calling on Telefonica CEO Cesar Alierta to act in accordance with the global agreement with UNI and ensure that workers’ rights are upheld everywhere.

UNI Global Union is the global union for skills and services, representing 900 unions and 20 million workers in 150 countries worldwide. UNI Telecom represents 3 million telecommunications workers worldwide.

Download UNI’s report at: www.callcentreaction.org

Contact: Marcus Courtney, Head of UNI Telecom UNI Telecom Global Union Phone office: +41-22-365-21-33 Mobile: +41-79-508-26-33 E-Mail: marcus.courtney@uniglobalunion.org

Source: UNI Global Union

Contact: Marcus Courtney, Head of UNI Telecom, UNI Telecom Global Union, Phone office: +41-22-365-21-33, Mobile: +41-79-508-26-33, E-Mail: marcus.courtney at uniglobalunion.org