Call center workers to sue employer

CEBU, Philippines - Employees of a call center that folded up recently are filing estafa and other criminal complaints against Leadamorphosis, which terminated their services last Jan. 8.

Marnick Unabia, leader of the 120 workers, said they would meet with their lawyer next week to discuss what other charges they can file against their American employer.

Unabia said that aside from filing cases in court, they also requested the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to intervene, as the company’s closure, which came as a surprise, was without any notice.

He said that DOLE-7 representatives meet with some of the affected employees yesterday morning.

“We went to DOLE-7 the day after the closure and we found out that the company has (issued) no prior notice,” Unabia said in an interview with The FREEMAN yesterday.

Around 40 Leadamorphosis employees started camping out yesterday at the Dakay Building along Escario St. in Cebu City after some 20 computer units were taken out of the 6th floor office of the company.

Unabia said that they presumed more than a hundred computers and the server are still at the company offices.

Unabia added that they only received 30 percent of their salary from December 15 to 31, 2013.

In a statement, Rosie Hong, Inter-Call Center Association of Workers (ICCAW) officer, called on DOLE and the Business Processing Outsourcing industry employers association to help facilitate the resolution of Leadamorphosis employees’ grievances.

ICCAW, is an industry-wide association of BPO workers whose members include Leadamorphosis employees.

Unabia also called on the owners to face them and tell them the real score about the company.

Leadamarphosis handles voice and non-voice outbound calls for US clients. The company was formerly called Vector whose corporate officers still comprise Leadamorphosis.

In June 2013, it merged with another BPO company called Sasnet, which handled non-voice marketing for home security gadgets. (FREEMAN)