Call Centres

Assembly Lines of the New Economy?

Billy Mitchell

One of the fastest growing industries in Western Europe within both the private and the public sectors,� is the development of Call Centres.

In September 1998 an article in Trade Union World (ICFTU) suggested that � by the year 2000 hundreds of thousands of workers worldwide will be employed by telephone call centres�. The article went on to say that call centres were fast becoming the new version of the assembly line, and that trade unions need to pay attention. The Geneva-based Union Network International (UNI) has said that �Call Centres are the electronic assembly lines of the new economy�.

The development of the industry within the private sector is now well established and a substantial number of centres have been set up in key locations across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

The director of a major US telecommunications company based in the United Kingdom reckons that by 2003 �call centres in the United Kingdom will have more employees than all of heavy industry put together - mines, iron and steel, the car industry�.

The industry is now beginning to spread from the private to the public sector. Last year the Government, in its Modernising Government White Paper, called for greater use of public sector call centres as a way of providing more effective public services. There is growing evidence that this call has been answered by local authorities across the country and the Government itself has established a number of its own call centres. NHS Direct, a telephone-based health service, is probably one of the best known projects being piloted by the Government.

A report published by economic Business Strategies has predicated that employment in call centres will increase by more than fifty percent over the next eight years. A natural spin off from this is the increasing demand for call centre labour and Northern Ireland has been identified as a prime area for recruitment. Recent research into the development of call centres indicates that Northern Ireland �is ripe for a major pan-European operation�.

Akthough the industry is new to Northern Ireland, recent studies indicate that companies setting up here will get value for money. This was highlighted in a survey carried out by Mitial Research which shows that Belfast has become the most efficient overall location for call centres in the United Kingdom.

The announcement that the Springvale Insurance Advisory Service Call Centre (PLC) has opened up a call centre on the Springfield Road with the creation of a substantial number of new jobs has been welcomed by Christina O�Neill of UNISON. While I fully support my colleague in welcoming the creation of much needed jobs in such a disadvantaged area, I would be anxious to see that the new workforce is properly protected in relation to pay and terms and conditions of work..

Effective protection can only be ensured through a unionised workforce and a recognition agreement with the company. Ms O�Neill has already taken some steps to ensure that this happens. Following a leaflet drop in the centre car park a number of employees have responded by indicating that they are interested in joining UNISON and the management has indicated that it would welcome union representation should staff wish to join a union. Management has also indicated that should any union be successful in obtaining the necessary number of staff members it would be happy to recognise that union.

The response of management appears to be progressive, and I sincerely hope that this is indeed the case.� What worries me is the company�s reference to unions obtaining the necessary number of staff necessary for recognition. Under new legislation� once fifty percent plus one of the workforce join a union the management has a legal obligation to recognise that union � whether it is happy to do so or not.

When any company insists on unions following the fifty percent plus one rule as a precondition for recognition, the alarms bells begin to ring. In the interests of staff welfare and company efficiency it ought to be standard practice to want to co-operate with a union from day one. Why force staff and the unions to jump through hoops ?

It is important that the issue of union recognition and employee protection is settled now when the industry in Northern Ireland is in the developmental stage. In areas of high unemployment new job will be highly valued, but not at any price. Call Centres have the potential to become the sweat shops of the future, and that is something that must be avoided at all costs. As Christian O� Neill has said, �Call Centres are a relatively new and expanding service. Working in them can be hard, intense, stressful and tiring��

The very nature of the work raises serious concerns about health and safety with stress being identified as the most common and persistent problem. Work targets, sales teams locked into competition, and electronic surveillance all contribute to high stress levels. Addressing these issues is just as important as ensuring that staff are paid a living wage. Belfast-based call centres currently pay the lowest salaries. Unions, such as UNISON which has recognition rights in a number of call centres nationwide and which is in the process of rewriting its negotiators guide for call centre staff, are essential if the industry is to hold out real hope for disadvantaged areas such as North and West Belfast.

Unionisation is crucial for, as Philip Jennings of UNI points out, �Without a strong union presence, staff are often the victims of high pressured working methods�. The time to organise is NOW.