“Outsourcing companies currently employ millions of workers worldwide… I am one of these…”
In the latest from the New Syndicalist a worker in the outsourcing industry in Central Europe shares their experience and that of their colleagues as workers in the industry in general and along with the challenges facing union organising across those places of work.
In an industry which to many in the UK seems shady and of low prestige, our contributor spells out “what motivates a young resourceful person” to work in that industry, one in which there is an embedded culture of providing services at rock bottom prices. They tell us:
“From the software and the hardware we use, to office supplies, to our wages, there is a relentless push toward cutting expenses. Where there is the tiniest opportunity to save a buck, the company will seize it, usually with no concern for the impact on the quality of the service they provide or the welfare of the employees.”
In a sobering account of rigid hierarchies and the pitting of worker against worker, our contributor identifies glimmers of hope for building strong unions within these workplaces, and the necessary support and solidarity workers would need from an international union like the IWW.
The full story can be read here and audio version of the piece is available to listen on Soundcloud – https://soundcloud.com/user-847178554