“They [BPO employees] are voiceless in a voice industry.” – Dr. Rene Ofreneo, former dean of the University of the Philippines School of Labor and Industrial Relations (UP SOLAIR)

We, employees of the BPO Industry, call on our government to support our collective demands for better wages, safe workplaces and working conditions and freedom of association.

During the pandemic, we kept the economy afloat despite the global and domestic slowdown with our continued operation. Citing data from 2020, the IT-BPO industry reached USD26.7 billion in revenue and employed over 1.32 million workers. Despite our sacrifices, we’ve been helplessly and mercilessly exposed to oppressive, exploitative and inhumane work conditions.

Thousands among us have been unjustly displaced from work and lost our source of livelihood yet we are exempted from government aid and very few companies offer financial support. Many companies are putting workers on No Work No Pay or on floating status even as they continue to hire new employees. The shift to automation of many BPO companies in the coming years is another threat to our job security. We are subject to very intense flexible work arrangements and face constant threat to our health and safety on our way to and from our work.

We’ve been hit hard by the effects of economic inflation brought about by the pandemic. For most of us, our basic pay is not enough for our daily needs and our pay increase could not keep up with the rising cost of living. Worse, wage rates in the industry are dragged down by a regionalized wage system as pay packages in IT-hubs outside the capital are already near-poverty level.

Most of all, our grievances and voice in decision-making are left unheard or even silenced. Our right to freely organize are being suppressed as BPO firms are able to freely cascade and enforce unjust policies unilaterally, with no consultation from employees, let alone consideration of our lawful rights and welfare.

Indeed, the pandemic highlighted our dire working conditions and showed us that we need particular attention in terms legislation and executive action.

We, employees of the BPO Industry, stand firm in our collective demands. We call on the leaders of the government, BPO firms and their client to take accountability and responsibility and heed our calls:

A. Better wages and benefits

1. Standard entry-level wage for the BPO industry employees in the Philippines

2. Automatic wage increase with upskilling and promotions

3. Mandatory hazard pay and legislated government wage subsidy during national emergencies

4. Legislated government wage subsidy during national emergency

5. Standardized healthcare coverage, unemployment insurance, and death and accident benefits

B. Better working conditions

1. End all forms of attack to our right to security of tenure such as floating, systematic attrition, and other forms of constructive and illegal dismissal

2. Expand unemployment benefits to include employees on floating and employees with active cases in NLRC for illegal or constructive dismissal

3. Transparency on the Service Level Agreement and penalize overloading and understaffing. Stop the practice of mandatory overtime, deferred breaks, compressed workweek, multiple job assignments without additional compensation, and other forms of flexibilization.

4. Safeguards in Administrative hearings to ensure fairness and impartiality during proceedings. Ensure employees’ representations during administrative hearings.

5. Companies should be made accountable in the proper provisioning of logistical needs of work-from-home employees (e.g. internet, basic utilities, tools and equipment). Employees should not be penalize for failure to do so.

6. Uphold employees’ right job security amidst threats of job losses brought about by Digitization and Automation. Ensure training and upskilling of employees.

7. Mandatory safe space workers committee

C. Upholding workers’ right to speak up and freedom of association

1. Uphold BPO employees right to self-organize, form unions and collectively bargain

2. Ensure employees participation in decision-making at various levels (company, industry-level, regional or national level)

3. Protection from company retaliation on employees raising grievances

D. Safe Workplace

1. Enforce compliance with OSH standards through regular workplace inspection. Instead of self regulation, the government should ensure companies comply.

2. Institutionalize setting up of OSH committees in workplaces with genuine employees’ representative

3. Additional health benefits for employees both on-site and work-from-home (e.g. healthcare kits, medicine)

4. Ensure provision of PPEs and hygiene kits at the workplace

By signing this petition, we believe that through our solidarity and collective action, we will be able to claim our rights and freedoms, and make positive changes to improve our working conditions for ourselves, for our families, co-workers and for the entire working Filipino people.