A Study on the Working Conditions in Convergys Philippines - Alabang

Abstract

As of 2004, there were already 70 contact centers or call centers in the Philippines. In the same year, the local call center industry was expected to earn $689 million (P38.17 billion) in revenues and provide 56,000 jobs. Within five years, the Philippine call center industry was projected to increase by 140,000 seats and produce an estimated 250,000 additional jobs, which translated to $3 billion in revenues by the end of 2009. Taking advantage of a cheap, highly-educated and English-speaking labor force, investors opened call centers not only in Metro Manila but also in provinces such as Cebu, Davao and Zamboanga - 14 call centers were already in operation in Cebu as of 2005. Call centers have also expanded into other knowledge-based businesses such as medical transcription, software development and accounting services while colleges, universities and vocational schools have included call center courses or programs in their respective curricula. Despite the relatively easy work and a starting pay of Pl 5,000 (2005), call center agents are exploited. For the sake of profit at a minimal cost, call center agents are subjected to unfair labor practices such as contractual basis of employment, unholy working hours, low salaries, absence of benefits and the forbidding of union formation. This study wants to explore the prevalent working conditions in the local call center industry, as well as present alternatives to the existing anomalies in the said establishment This study will employ the Theoretical Framework of Historical Materialism and utilize information gathered from books, newspapers, magazines, journals, theses, corporate documents, questionnaires (using the Accidental Sampling method) and the Internet.