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In a strong message to Rene Obermann, CEO of Deutsche Telekom, call centre workers from across the US signed postcards to support their colleagues who face blatant anti-union practices in the Deutsche Telekom subsidiary T-Mobile USA. 

Visit the website for more information www.callcentreaction.org



A meeting of over 130 Customer Service Professionals in San Diego, USA, learnt about the poor labour practices of T-mobile USA and how workers are treated daily to unfair practices including excessive call supervision, unrealistic and ever changing bonus goals, and explicit threats of termination of employment to those who may be thinking of joining a union.



The meeting was addressed by T-Mobile workers who came to the conference on the basis of anonymity to protect them from retaliation by the company. These workers live in fear. If they mention the word "union", they could be fired on the spot with no reason given. Whilst this is not unheard of in the US, the most surprising thing is that in Germany where the company is based, the union is a respected and important part of Deutsche Telekom. In Germany workers have a voice. They can bargain collectively and do not have a fear of being sacked for wanting to join a union and bargain collectively. 



One of the key themes discussed by the anonymous workers (not present in this photo) was that they wanted dignity and respect in the workplace. They wanted to have a voice in the workplace and contribute to the company's growth, something they said was lacking in their workplaces. They said the best way to ensure that these things were corrected was by forming a union in the workplace and voicing their concerns together. They could not believe that the company operates openly with the union in Germany while it is completely the opposite in the US. 



All workers at the conference joined together and said, "One Company, One Standard - Workers rights for all at Deutsche Telekom". 



Many workers committed to return to their respective workplaces and have their colleagues sign postcards and send in pictures to the website www.callcentreaction.org