Call center employees seek probe of office fire
Call center workers in Pasay City have asked authorities to intervene in a dispute with their employer over a fire that hit the Three ECom Tower, a 15-story office building in Pasay City.
Employees of the Alorica by the Bay business process outsourcing (BPO) company on Bayshore Avenue complained about the treatment they received from the company during and after the fire that occurred on Sunday, Dec. 21.
In an online petition on Wednesday, the BPO employees urged the local and national governments to investigate why the company has not issued a work stoppage order to enable authorities, particularly the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole), and the Pasay City government, to determine the circumstances during and after the fire.
The petition was addressed to President Marcos, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, as well as top executives of Alorica, cochief executive officers Mike Clifton and Max Schwendner, and chief operating officer and president for Asia Bong Borja.
According to BPO Industry Employees’ Network (Bien), a fire broke out on the 6th floor of the building on Dec. 21 around 9:30 p.m., but fire alarms were not audible on several floors, including in the sleeping quarters on the 14th floor.
The employees complained that they were compelled to return to their posts the next day despite the lack of clearance from the Dole, Bureau of Fire Protection, or the Pasay City government.
They also said the smoke and smell of burnt rubber “persisted for days,” triggering asthma attacks, headaches, allergic rhinitis and other illnesses.
“What should have been a clear-cut emergency response turned into a night of terror, confusion and neglect, followed by days of forced work resumption without proper government clearance, despite lingering smoke and toxic smell of rubber, health risks and trauma,” the petition read.
“Alorica is forcing agents back into a building that still reeks of toxic burnt rubber, without any transparent assurance that the electrical systems are safe,” said Bien national president Mylene Cabalona.
Workers’ demands
The workers demanded that the company order a work stoppage with pay until a full inspection is conducted and an official clearance is issued by authorities.
They also urged the national government to compel the BPO to provide medical, psychological and financial assistance until after an investigation is conducted.
Cabalona said “the government must not wait for another body count before it realizes that ‘management discretion’ is being used as a license for corporate impunity.”
She was referring to a “chilling repetition” of the 2017 fire at the NCCC Mall in Davao City, where 37 BPO workers and a security guard died.
“Safety is a fundamental right, not a suggestion. The fact that Alorica is prioritizing ‘Critical Working Day’ metrics over the respiratory health of employees, especially those with preexisting conditions like asthma, is a blatant violation of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Law,” Bien OSH officer Ron Zarate said.
