/ AFP / Manman Dejeto/
(Eagle News) — A militant labor group on Tuesday said the company that employed the 37 call center agents who died after being trapped in their burning office in Davao should be held accountable for their deaths.
Alan Tanjusay, spokesperson of the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, said if Research Now SSI, the Texas-based call center company, had complied with “the labor inspection standards on the fire exits, sprinkler system, ventilation, lighting, noise, entry and egress specifications, and fire evacuation plan, possible harm could have been avoided.”
He said that in the first place, call centers should not be located in malls.
The call center’s office in Davao was located in the NCCC mall.
“Call centers should have their own separate and independent building designed for human beings working on 24-hour work operations…Call center employees are not commodities and goods that can be consigned to a warehouse converted as work area,” he said.
In a statement, SSI Research Now chief executive officer Gary Laben expressed his condolences to the families of the 37 killed in the fire that hit the mall on Saturday, and at the same time thanked the “courageous” first responders.
“This terrible tragedy has left us with heavy hearts…Words cannot express how saddened we are,” he said.
The company said it would “create a fund for contributions to provide further assistance to the families of those who were lost.”
It said details on the fund “would be made available soon.”
“The company has arranged for counseling for its employees. In addition, it is helping to support funeral arrangements…,” the company added.