PM seeks stricter regulation for BPOs

CEBU, Philippines - Labor group, Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), has called on the government to impose stricter regulations on the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry to prevent foreigner owners to just run away from their obligations to workers.

PM-Cebu spokesman Dennis Derige also called on the candidates in the upcoming May 13 election to make the welfare of the workers among their campaign advocacies.

Derige said that BPO industry is thriving because of unemployment problem but foreign owners could easily run away from the responsibilities because of laxity in the implementation of labor laws.

The PM is assisting the Inter Call Center Association of Workers (ICCAW) which was recently accredited by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). The organization is aimed at protecting the rights and the welfare of call center workers.

Derige supported the claim of Sylvio Dorig, one of the officers of ICCAW, that some call center firms in Cebu are fly-by-nights who could easily run away if the government goes after them.

Dorig said that call centers are not giving exact benefits to workers including the one hour break which some only give 30 minutes.

ICCAW is organized by the more than 600 workers who were left without jobs, salaries and benefits after their non-voice call center, Direct Access Center in Asiatown IT closed operations last year.

PM earlier said that Direct Access violated labor laws because it failed to notify their workers 30 days before the closure, as required by the country’s labor laws.

It also reportedly violated labor practices due to failure to provide the laid-off workers with their one month salary, benefits and allowances amounting to P6.4 million at the time it closed.

PM assisted workers in the filing of charges for estafa and breach of contract against Direct Access.

Also last week, more than a hundred former employees of Cordia Philippines Inc., a call center that used to maintain an office at the Asiatown I.T. Park filed a complaint of unfair labor practices against a company that is reportedly founded by three foreign nationals.

Era Gimarino yesterday said they received reports that the owners of Cordia have established another company in Mandaue City called Geils Communications prompted them to file charges.

She said they were just being fooled by the owners when they were assured of reemployment.

Cordia Philippines claimed to have $86 million in revenues in 2009.

But Cordia filed for bankruptcy in 2011 and dismissed half of its 400 employees. On October 2012, it asked the remaining workers to resign. —/FPL (FREEMAN)