During a period of increasing political repression and the onset of COVID-19, BIEN expanded its fight for BPO workers’ rights, focusing on job security and workplace safety.
Key achievements
Through determined organising, BIEN:
- Trained 12 full-time and 22 part-time organisers
- Conducted 40 educational sessions reaching 394 workers, including:
- Know Your Rights training
- Paralegal training
- Security of tenure workshops
- Established eight new chapters and seven worker committees
- Collected 3,500+ signatures for One Voice Manifesto
- Produced three educational videos on labour rights
- Held ten coffee session workshops covering:
- General workplace issues
- Women BPO workers’ concerns
- LGBTQI+ workplace issues
- Impact of industry automation
- Successfully lobbied for improved job security provisions in Congress
- Won work-from-home policies from largest call centre company during pandemic
Challenges faced
- Severe COVID-19 restrictions limiting in-person organising
- Political repression including illegal arrest of organiser Anne Krueger
- “Red-tagging” of BIEN leaders and trade unionists
- Fell short of 10,000 signature target for One Voice Manifesto
- Strict lockdown measures affecting mobilisation
- Global recession impacting job security
Project impact
Despite severe challenges, BIEN:
- Held seven consultation meetings with legislators
- Submitted comprehensive policy recommendations including:
- Access to workplace information
- Protection from understaffing
- Additional health benefits
- Protection of job security
- Improved break provisions
- Successfully moved training online during pandemic
- Attended five Congressional hearings on BPO worker protection
- Built international solidarity through NZCTU connection
