Call center employees sue Dell Philippines

MANILA, Philippines – One of the biggest call center firms in the country is in hot water. Seventy call center employees yesterday filed a legal suit against Dell International Services Philippines, a leading business process outsourcing company, for alleged illegal dismissal.

Together with their lawyers, the dismissed Dell employees trooped to the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) office in Quezon City to file the case of “constructive dismissal” against their foreign employer.

Dell corporate communications head Hector Jimenez said they could not comment at this point because they have not received copies of the complaints. “But we are checking with our lawyers on what action we will take,” Jimenez added.

In two-separate complaints, the call center employees said they were dismissed from the company last April 19, which they claim is in violation of employment contracts.

The dismissed workers are seeking immediate reinstatement, full payment of their back wages as well as moral and exemplary damages.

Labor Secretary Marianito Roque, said the termination of the said employees was not mass retrenchment and has nothing to do with the prevailing global financial crisis.

“It cannot be considered a mass retrenchment because the number is very small compared to the 4,000 workforce of Dell in the country,” Roque said in an interview.  – With Mary Ann Reyes