"Offshore call centre operators open up about what it's like working on the other side of the call", 1 December 2019

Being sworn at, called a monkey, and diagnosed with clinical depression are just some of the realities of life as a call centre worker in the Philippines.

...Jake Concha spent 10 years as a call centre worker for several Australian companies including Telstra and Dodo and US firm JPMorgan Chase.

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He said he has repeatedly experienced racism.

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"I experienced clinical depression and, because of their work, a lot of my colleagues have been diagnosed with depression and psychological disorders...."

He said workers suffered interrupted sleep...and were also expected to share head phones, which led to the spread of colds and flus.

He said some work places refused toilet stops outside of lunch breaks.

"They have to keep it in for a long time and ... a lot of people get urinary tract infections, it really affects everyone's health."

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Mr Concha said Australian companies using overseas call centres had a responsibility to care for their offshore staff.

"...[A] worker in the Philippines should be experiencing the same benefit since we're doing the same job..." he said.

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"So if we have a minimum wage, particularly for Australians, that should also be experienced by Filipino workers who are doing the same job."

...[A] Telstra spokesman said..."A priority for us is ensuring the compensation and benefits we provide are fair and competitive in each market, including the Philippines," the spokesman said.

"We regularly participate in independent industry surveys to ensure we retain a competitive advantage and we're also accredited by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, which is the regulating body of the information, technology, and business-process-management industry."

[...]