Call center workers ask owner to address their complaints

CEBU, Philippines - Workers of a call center that closed recently without prior notice demanded during a dialogue yesterday that their foreign employer offer a concrete solution to their plight.

Complainant Marnick Unabia, among others, said during their dialogue at the Department of Labor and Employment-7 office, that the company’s vice president, Kirk Netthercott, be given 48 hours to ask Paul Flannery via email to answer what he is going to do with their complaints and demands.

Unabia and his fellow Leadamorphosis workers filed a complaint before the National Labor Relations Commission-Regional Arbitration Board-7 against the company for unfair labor practice; illegal closure; underpayment; and non-payment of salaries, holiday pay,13th month pay, among others.

To recall, 120 Leadamorphosis employees were all terminated from work last Jan. 8 after the company suddenly stopped its operation on the same day.

The closure stunned the employees, as it was made without prior notice.

Unabia said a representative from the Inter-Call Centers Workers Association would also seek help from the International Labor Organization to help them locate Flannery if he would respond to Netthercott’s email.

Leadamarphosis handles voice and non-voice outbound calls for US clients. It was formerly called Vector, whose corporate officers still comprise Leadamorphosis.

Last June, it merged with another BPO company called Sasnet which handled non-voice marketing for home security gadgets. (FREEMAN)