Call centre workers in the finance sector are getting organised and work wise. The Union's Call Centre project is enabling members from call centres across the finance industry to get together, compare conditions across the industry and make plans for establishing best practice standards.

The overall goal of the Call Centre Project is to build Union membership and strength in finance sector call centre's and establish safe and people friendly work environments.

Issues

Focus groups of members conducted earlier this year identified the problems which are consistently the key issues for call centre workers. These include:

- Breaks (inadequate and ill-timed)
- Hours and shifts (no say in hours or shifts, erratic shift times)
- Pay (an issue in some sites only)
- Training (inadequate training on products and handling 'difficult' calls)
- Targets (unrealistic, unachievable KPIs and sales targets)
- Promotion (lack of a system and lack of communication about promotion)
- Awards systems (inappropriate, demeaning and of little value at present)
- Monotony (sitting at desk all day with no variety in the work)
- Environment (lack of hygiene in some sites)

A Call Centre Reps Group has been established involving FSU Reps from Call Centres in each state and a variety of finance sector organisations including Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, IAG CGU / NRMA, ANZ, EDS, RAC, NAB and Bankwest. At present the group "meets" fortnightly via teleconference.

In 2007 the group is aiming to establish Best Practice standards across the industry for Breaks, Average Call Handling Times and policies for dealing with abusive callers.

If you are interested in getting involved in the Call Centres Reps Group contact your local FSU office.