Business process outsourcing employees in Metro Manila have called on the Department of Labor and Employment to sanction companies requiring workers to report during dangerous weather conditions. In an open letter, they emphasized the risks to lives and the need for emergency leave with pay. The workers criticized the agency's previous inaction during Typhoon Tino.
In Manila, Philippines, business process outsourcing (BPO) employees have raised alarms over companies in Metro Manila that continue operations despite severe rains and floods, endangering staff safety. The workers addressed the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in an open letter, demanding sanctions for these firms to prevent further risks.
The letter highlights how several BPO companies maintain a 'business-as-usual' approach, forcing personnel to commute through hazardous conditions. 'Several BPO companies in Metro Manila are putting the lives of employees at risk,' the employees stated. They pointed to similar incidents during Typhoon Tino, where violations were reported but DOLE failed to act, leading to frustration among workers.
'This silence and inaction have forced us to bring these issues directly to the public. If DOLE will not listen behind closed doors, perhaps they will listen when workers speak out together and online,' the letter reads. The employees demand 'immediate and decisive action from DOLE to protect workers’ lives and uphold labor rights in times of disaster.' They specifically called for BPO firms to suspend work and provide emergency leave with pay during such events.
This appeal comes amid ongoing weather challenges in the region, underscoring tensions between business continuity and employee welfare in the Philippines' vital BPO sector.