Anton Banal
A TOTAL of 21 business process outsourcing (BPO) companies have been flagged by the BPO Industry Employees' Network (Bien) Philippines for allegedly adopting “business-as-usual” attitudes despite the threat of Super Typhoon Uwan.
In a statement, Bien Philippines said it is unacceptable that BPO workers were left to fend for themselves amid the super typhoon and massive flooding.
"The situation has become too grave, lives are literally at risk, and the continued complacency of both employers and government agencies amounts to criminal negligence," said Bien Philippines.
"The few considerations that companies extend are not acts of compassion. These are token measures meant to sustain business continuity at the expense of workers’ safety," it added.
It said nine BPO companies supposedly adopted “business-as-usual” attitudes amid the onslaught of Super Typhoon Uwan without any considerations for the workers.
Bien Philippines alleged that 10 companies had "business-as-usual” operations with limited considerations, while two others adopted temporary work-from-home arrangements.
It called on the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to take action against BPO firms, who forced employees to report for duty despite facing unsafe conditions.
"We demand immediate and decisive action from DOLE to protect workers’ lives and uphold labor rights in times of disaster," said Bien Philippines.
"We call on DOLE to immediately act, not tomorrow, not after the typhoon has passed, but now... DOLE, serve the workers, not the employers," it added.
Similarly, the BPO workers asked companies to put premium on worker safety and not compel them to report for duty amidst a super typhoon.
"To BPO companies, act now. Suspend work and grant emergency leave with pay. You owe this to your workers, the very backbone of your operations. Without them, there is no service, no profit," it said.
"We will not stand idly by while workers risk their lives just to keep the profits flowing. Our safety is not negotiable. Our lives matter more than their margins," added Bien Philippines. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)