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The ASU has been campaigning for many years to improve Australia's call centres for those working in the industry. Most recently we have launched the "It's your call: improving Australian call centres for workers - 2009 Survey Report", an analysis of the results of our second major survey of the industry in ten years.
The results of our survey have revealed a number of issues confronting call centre workers but stress in particular has been a significant factor. As a result, the ASU has released a Stress-o-meter specifically designed to help call centre workers assess their stress levels and find relevant resources.
For more information, please have a look at the full 2009 Survey Report or the 2009 Survey Report Summary. Information to assist with workplace stress and other issues can also be found in the "Industry resources" section below.
From November 2008 to February 2009 the ASU asked call centre employees, both union and non-union members, to take part in a new national survey. The It's your call: Improving Australian call centres for workers survey covered staff in both in-house and contract call centres across Australia and all industries including travel, transport, airlines, utilities, government, finance and banking, membership organisations and the not-for-profit, community sector.
There were over 1,500 responses and the survey results have been analysed and the report was launched on 19 November 2009. Read about the launch here: "On the line and on the edge: Call centre report shows stress levels off the dial".
The survey was designed to give a snapshot of what is like to work in the industry today and will assist the ASU in making further improvements. Further changes need to be made so all call centre workers can enjoy the same working conditions and protections.
The call centre industry is a major employer in Australia and an integral part of our nation's economy. The ASU wants to make sure all call centre workers enjoy the same, high level working conditions and that all workers are being valued and paid fairly.
Nearly ten years ago the ASU undertook a national survey aimed at making call centres across Australia better places to work. Since then, the ASU has championed many important achievements that have made call centres healthier and safer places to work.
These improvements have included the development of a code of practice and a guide to Occupational Health and Safety and the introduction of the Contract Call Centre Award (contact your ASU Branch for information on the current award).
Following on from the results of our latest survey conducted in 2008-09 (see above for details), we will be examining our future strategies to assist call centre workers.
The ASU is concerned that significant unfair employment practices still exist and turnover rates continue to be high. We also want to find out about the good things that are happening in our call centres.
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The Melbourne Times ran a cover story, "Ringing in the change" by Genevieve Gannon, 5 May 2010, for which they spoke to the ASU: "The call centre industry continues to grow but with the relentless nature of the job and soaring stress levels among workers, the union is calling for change." Read the full article here. |
Stress
Visit the ASU's Stress-o-meter, a tool specially designed to help call centre workers figure out their stress levels and find resources.
The ASU-Victorian Private Sector Branch developed, with the support of WorkSafe Victoria's Return to Work Fund, a series of resources to assist with stress claims. You can download the PDFs here:
Download WorkSafe Victoria's "Preventing work-related stress - examples of risk control measures"
For an array of resources to deal with stress in the workplace, please visit WorkSafe Victoria's stress page
Occupational health & safety (OHS)
The Good Practice Guide for Occupational Health and Safety in Call Centres was part of the call centre health and safety project.
Headset Safety Resource Kit - A Resource Guide for Call Centre Employees and Health and Safety Delegates.
Acoustic Shock Information Sheet: "acoustic shock" injuries are thought to occur when a loud and unexpected sound - a shriek or spike - comes down the line and into the call centre worker's headset.
Skills and training
Innovation and Business Skills Australia (IBSA) "develops competency standards and qualifications for workforce skills development and training that are recognised throughout Australia."
General
The Call Centre Minimum Standards Code sets out a framework to deliver basic rights for call centre employees.
"For some, it pays to heed the call of the public sector", The Age, September 7, 2007. An article by a senior academic from the Monash Uni Graduate School of Business (Professor Julian Teicher) reports favorably on unionised, public sector call centres with more career opportunities, less turnover and more job security than private sector call centres.
The publication ASU Survey Results: can call centres be better places to work? brings together the results of the survey conducted by the ASU in 1999-2000. The key findings are the focus of the publication, along with suggested solutions.
International
The groundbreaking new international report A World on the Phone documents a day in the life of call centre workers around the world, including a few ASU members.
The latest news from UNI, the global union for call centre workers, can be found here: Call Centre Action Month news.
The global union UNI (Union Network International) maintains web resources for workers in telecommunications, within which they classify call centre workers. To learn more visit the UNI Telecom webpage where you can find useful resources.
Do you need assistance from someone in relation to your wages and conditions? Email: callcentreunion@asu.asn.au.
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