Union call centre workplace blitz

Date: 20 November 2008

About 100 union members will take to the streets in Melbourne's CBD aided with calling cards and cup cakes and ring tones to launch a national call centre campaign today.

Over the next three months the Australian Services Union (ASU) will target call centre workers across Australian industries to gather feedback and information about their work.

It's estimated that in excess of 280,000 people work in Australian call centres.

If you are a call centre worker anywhere in Australia, please *CLICK* here to do the "It's your call" ASU Call Centre Survey 2008.

She said despite some improvements in the last decade, the union was concerned that significant unfair employment practices still existed and turnover rates continued to be too high.

"Australian call centre workers are some of the best in the world and this is evidenced by the fact that a number of international companies have put their call centres in Australia," Ms White said.

"We are launching a new campaign to give our call centre workers a greater voice and we want to make sure all workers enjoy the same, high level conditions and that they are valued and paid fairly.

"The call centre industry is a major employer in Australia, both in contact call centres and in-house centres and despite some threats from off-shoring and the recent global crisis, it remains a significant growth area."

Victorian branch secretary Ingrid Stitt said not all call centres adhered to the same, high level employment practices.

"Call centres which invest in their workers through proper training, support and career paths ultimately benefit in the long term by having skilled and loyal staff.

"But unfortunately, some companies have too much of a "hire and fire" mentality and some workers who come into the industry are not trained enough, their targets are high and they are not given enough support for the tough calls they receive. In the end they are burnt out or in some cases sacked.

"Through our campaign we want to get a really good update on what's happening in the industry from those on the front line, taking the calls everyday.

"We're asking call centre workers what they like about their jobs, what they don't like and what they want to see improved because we need a new snapshot of the industry."

Ms Stitt said Victoria had led the way in making improvements for call centre workers, but more work needed to be done in the areas of Occupational Health and Safety, training and support for call centre workers.

She said past achievements had included the development of the Call Centre Minimum Standards Code, the Good Practice Guide for Occupational Health and Safety and the introduction of the Contract Call Centre Award.

The ASU is asking call centre employees - union and non-union members - to take part in the "It's your call: Improving Australian call centres for workers" survey.

The survey covers staff in both in-house and contract call centres across Australia and all industries including travel, transport, airlines, utilities, government, financial and banking, membership organisations and the not-for-profit, community sector.

Call centre workers can win a MacBook (Apple laptop), an 8GB iPod Touch or an 8GB iPOD Nano by completing the survey.

The survey has been supported by Members Equity Bank and AustralianSuper and can be found online at http://www.callcentreunion.com.au or by phoning (03) 9320 6702.

The survey results will be analysed by academic Ruth Barton.

For further information

Contact:	Angela Bell
Union:	Australian Services Union
Contact Mobile:	04303 55554
WWW:	http://www.asu.asn.au/

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