Call Centres... 21st Century workhouses

Socialist Youth's Fightback! campaign, taking up the rights of young workers who are being ripped off in the workplaces is getting wide support. Many of the grievances and complaints that have come in from young workers have been about working in call centres.

We spoke to a Socialist Youth member who works in one of the biggest call centres in Belfast about the pressures of working in these modern day workhouses.

This is how he described the job:

"The first difficulty is the nature of the work. It is not easy to phone and irritate people 100 times a night. By the end of each shift some people are likely to be reduced to tears by what they have to do.

"Meanwhile we have management constantly on our back. We get paid a basic rate and then a bonus for meeting targets of sales. If someone is behind on the target, they will have management standing over their shoulder ‘coaxing’ them to do better. People who don’t get enough results are put on a ‘performance plan’ and get more constant management pressure.

"It’s not surprising that there’s a very high turnover. I started as part of a group of 25 people. After three months there were only three people left. People only stay because there are no other jobs to go to.

"Most of us are not employed directly but are agency workers. This means we get less money and have fewer rights. We have a contract of service, not a contract of employment which means we can be shifted around or got rid of far easier.

"For all this stress and harassment I get £5.12 an hour, just a few pence more than the minimum wage.

"There are other issues apart from pay which we need proper union representation to deal with. One is the lack of breaks. For health and safety reasons, people working on computer screens are supposed to have 15 minute breaks during their shifts.

"The company say we don’t need this because we can look away from the computer screen so we work four hours at a time with no break."

As part of the Fightback! campaign Socialist Youth are attempting to help call centre workers get organised to fight for decent wages and conditions. We want to help call centre workers win union recognition.

If you are having problems at work and particularly if you work in a call centre, contact the Fightback! campaign. Just phone us on 07821058319 or email us at socialist_youth@hotmail.com

Socialist Youth's Fightback! Campaign which has taken on Dunnes Stores over the victimisation of a union member, is now highlighting the problems of call centre workers

Socialist Youth's Fightback! Campaign took part in the protest outside Dunnes Stores in Belfast City Centre on 3 February to show our outrage to the treatment of Joanne Delaney who was sacked from a Dunnes Stores outlet in Dublin for the “crime” of wearing a union badge.

Trade union victimisation is one of the issues that the FightBack! Campaign was set up to confront, particularly in regard to young people. There are thousands of young people working in part time and full time jobs without proper rights and conditions.

The Fightback! Campaign aims to highlight these issues and offer young people a way to fight for rights at work, including trade union rights.

We have already been approached by many young workers, some in part time, poorly paid jobs, others working long hours in drudery in dead end jobs. Many have no access to trade unions and suffer under dictatorial management.

The recent example of the postal workers in Belfast and Mallusk has shown young people that it is possible to stand up to tyrannical management and fight for rights.

The only way to tackle a bully is to confront them and dispel the atmosphere of fear they create to intimidate us. This means standing together in solidarity.

Information given to the Fightback! Campaign is given in confidence. We already have information on a number of workplaces, especially in the service sector and intend to take action to publicise this exploitation.

If you are being ripped off at work and want advice on how you can stand up for rights get in touch with us. Any information given will be in confidence and we will take no action on this information without the agreement of those who give it. Get in touch by ringing: 07821058319.

The Socialist Society in Coleraine Univeristy of Ulster has recently recruited a whole new layer of students eager to see the socialist alternative built in the area.

After a successful freshers’ fayre where 15 people joined the society, a steady flow of students have approached us to get involved with organising campaigns and meetings.

The society has already organised a public meeting on “The Case For Socialism Today.” We have held a number of meetings since to discuss how to build the society.

We agreed that the society must not be another talking shop in a university, but should take up and campaign on the issues which matter to students and workers in the area.

There are now plans to build for another meeting in the next few weeks. To raise funds, we have also discussed organising a “Red Night” in the Students’ Union Bar.

Hopefully, we can recruit more students in Coleraine over a few drinks and to the sounds of The Clash and Rage Against the Machine for some inspiration!

If you’re interested in getting involved contact the Socialist Party on 90232962.

As a mature student living in Enniskillen times can be hard. Part time jobs on offer are generally minimum wage. As I’m living independently, most of the money I earn goes towards bills.

I’m also involved in the local music scene here in Enniskillen. I help organise gigs and events for local bands and the like, but it is often hard to find a suitable venue outside of pubs; an obviously unsuitable place for underage audiences.

There is no real youth venue in Enniskillen. Having approached the council about this we have been advised that funding for such a venue is currently directed elsewhere. Meanwhile young people are left to make their own fun in public places where their presence is seen by some to be causing trouble.

I joined the Socialist Party because I believe an alternative is possible, one which will help change all this. The Socialist Party believes that all workers should receive a fair and decent wage.

There is real potential for our party in Enniskillen, especially among young people. With this support we can make a change. Enough pressure on the council can force them to provide the venue the young people of Fermanagh require.

We can provide a socialist alternative both to poverty and lack of facilities in the area.