BY STUART MARTIN
WOLLONGONG - Unions have launched a campaign to improve pay and conditions for call centre workers, protesting outside the Stellar call centre on July 12.
The campaign is in part a response to the continuing victimisation of unionists in call centres and aims to improve unionisation, and get companies to agree to a minimum standards code for the industry.
With up to 2500 call centre workers in the Wollongong area, the launch was of particular local significance and follows concerted efforts by the Community and Public Sector Union to recruit Stellar workers to the union.
The campaign has already had an effect - more Stellar workers are joining a union even though union organisers are barred from entering the workplaces.
South Coast Labor Council secretary Arthur Rorris told the rally that call centre workers were subjected to the draconian conditions of "time and motion", under which workers have to account for every minute they spend at work - including how much time they spend in the toilet.
Belinda Tkalcevic from the Australian Council of Trade Unions explained that Stellar workers are on individual contracts and paid an average of $17,000 less than Telstra workers doing the same job. They are also less likely to get an equitable pay increase when their contract expires.
The Minimum Standards Code, developed by the ACTU, guarantees all workers a meal break after five hours, regular rest breaks from the phones, a safe working environment, casual leave loading and the right to join a union. In conjunction with this, the CPSU is developing an award along similar lines for Stellar workers.
The ACTU and CPSU have set up a hotline for information on call centre pay and working conditions. For more information phone 1300 365 205 or visit <www.callcentral.com.au>.