Telemarketing Union
May 2 2007
Reading over recent posts about union organising, I got thinking about globalisation and the development of the international working class and the difficulty this poses for activists. Capital can move with more agility than ever before. For example: About five years ago, nearly all of my friends were involved in Tele-Marketing. Now, nearly every telemarketing call I get is from India. Geography plays less of a role than ever before, as work travels to where the cheapest labour and worst conditions exist. We are geographically separated from where a lot of what we use daily gets produced. This works both ways though. I speak to many workers in the third world as they try to sell me shit over the phone.
I hate answering the phone for advertisements, it really pisses me off. Its wrong to blame the workers though as they are doing a shitty job, so (after a couple of joints) I had an idea... What if I started to try to organise an international anarchist telemarketers Union (it obviously needs a better name)?
Basically, every time a telemarketer rings I'm going to try to sign them up. Bosses hate workers talking to Unions, but if their job is to ring people, then its not their fault if a potential customer tries to sign them up. What are they going to do? Stop calling me? Its a win-win situation.
I probably get 2-3 telemarketing calls a week, that means that I'll be talking to over 100 people a year, all in one industry and there is no effort as they already call me. If others start doing it too, then it actually might get further than just being some stuff to say to telemarketers.
At the moment the idea is in embryo. I kinda expect it to get shot down, but I like it.
May 3 2007
#2
Yeah... You are right (I knew it would be shot down). 
Rather than throw away the idea completely, I decided to do a bit of research on Indian trade unions and political organisations. The only group I found of any interest, is the Ghadar Party, don't really know what to think of them yet, but on the surface they seem OK. I'll do some more research...
May 3 2007
#3
news from the Indian boom region Guragon:
http://libcom.org/library/gurgaon-workers-news-2-april-2007
May 3 2007
#4
Not a bad idea at all, but here is where I would go with it. First off (and I know it would be tough) try to get a job in telemarketing and organise there. Then when telemarketers call you tell them about the gains you and your fellows have made via solidarity. Let them know about the union and how they can join. Build international contacts that way and eventually send delagations to begin really substantial international contact. From there the rest is hopefully history! The Starbucks Workers Union is slowly building an international production line communication with bean growers in africa and might be good folks to contact for info and support.
May 3 2007
#5
For reference, here's an article about work in call centres in India:
http://libcom.org/library/working-life-interviews-and-leaflets-in-delhis-call-centre-cluster-2006
May 3 2007
#6
bozemananarchy wrote:
Not a bad idea at all, but here is where I would go with it. First off (and I know it would be tough) try to get a job in telemarketing and organise there. Then when telemarketers call you tell them about the gains you and your fellows have made via solidarity. Let them know about the union and how they can join. Build international contacts that way and eventually send delagations to begin really substantial international contact. From there the rest is hopefully history! The Starbucks Workers Union is slowly building an international production line communication with bean growers in africa and might be good folks to contact for info and support.
Are you delirious?
May 3 2007
#7
In Spain the CGT is the majority union in the telemarketing industry. so
an "anarchist union" already exists in this sector.
May 5 2007
#8
Hey Frew, Whenever I get telemarketers for OS calling I always try to engage them in conversation, but as someone else has said, they are often monitored by arsewipe supervisors. Also, they have targets to meet so having trying to have a chat may fuck with them too much. What about just giving out a quick website address to them like the IWW and let them take it from there, it may kick off kinda like what the starbucks union have done. gregg.
May 5 2007
#9
the starbucks union has not taken off.
there is no actual organziation. there has been no victory.
where radicals happen to work at starbucks those workers have garnered publicity. thats all.
May 6 2007
#10
anarcho-bolshevik wrote:
the starbucks union has not taken off.there is no actual organziation. there has been no victory.
where radicals happen to work at starbucks those workers have garnered publicity. thats all.
And who the fuck are you, anyways?
May 6 2007
#11
OliverTwister wrote:
anarcho-bolshevik wrote:
the starbucks union has not taken off.there is no actual organziation. there has been no victory.
where radicals happen to work at starbucks those workers have garnered publicity. thats all.
And who the fuck are you, anyways?
He who shall not be named.
May 6 2007
#12
thugarchist wrote:
OliverTwister wrote:
anarcho-bolshevik wrote:
the starbucks union has not taken off.there is no actual organziation. there has been no victory.
where radicals happen to work at starbucks those workers have garnered publicity. thats all.
And who the fuck are you, anyways?
He who shall not be named.
And written in the language of Mordor! 
Well unfair - the Starbucks workers have been well-organised AFAIK - naysayer! 
May 6 2007
#13
Lone Wolf wrote:
thugarchist wrote:
OliverTwister wrote:
anarcho-bolshevik wrote:
the starbucks union has not taken off.there is no actual organziation. there has been no victory.
where radicals happen to work at starbucks those workers have garnered publicity. thats all.
And who the fuck are you, anyways?
He who shall not be named.
And written in the language of Mordor!
Well unfair - the Starbucks workers have been well-organised AFAIK - naysayer!
A little bit of media hype and some minor legal victories is not well organized.
May 6 2007
#14
Lone Wolf wrote:
thugarchist wrote:
OliverTwister wrote:
anarcho-bolshevik wrote:
the starbucks union has not taken off.there is no actual organziation. there has been no victory.
where radicals happen to work at starbucks those workers have garnered publicity. thats all.
And who the fuck are you, anyways?
He who shall not be named.
And written in the language of Mordor!
Well unfair - the Starbucks workers have been well-organised AFAIK - naysayer!
please describe well organized.
To me well organized means a solid organizational structure in the shops that are being organized or are claimed to already be organized.
If there are 30 workers spread out over three shifts, there should be at least three committee members for that shop. If there are groups that are non-shift related, such as spanish speakers, family, friendship circles, partyers, high school kids, then each one of those groups should be represented on a committee by the groups informal social leader.
I highly doubt that that is what is happening at starbucks. Where I live, a major US city with active starbucks "organizing", it is activists that work at starbucks, not the natural leaders of the social groups.
it is vangaurdism at its worst.
It is the NEFAC theater organizing on a larger scale and more media hype.
May 7 2007
#15
Not about how to successfully organize a call center... but still interesting.
kolinko-book: hotlines - call centre | inquiry | communism (9/2002)
Can we focus on a thread without anarcho-bolshevik derailing about how UNITEHERE is great and how anarchists are stupid. I swear, it's like union staffer version of Terry Morgan.
May 7 2007
#16
Flint wrote:
Not about how to successfully organize a call center... but still interesting.
kolinko-book: hotlines - call centre | inquiry | communism (9/2002)Can we focus on a thread without anarcho-bolshevik derailing about how UNITEHERE is great and how anarchists are stupid. I swear, it's like union staffer version of Terry Morgan.
tool!
I didn't bring up a specific union, but I did ask for a definition of "well organized".
You tell me flint, is starbucks well organized, and is it "taking off?"
May 7 2007
#17
anarcho-bolshevik wrote:
I didn't bring up a specific union, but I did ask for a definition of "well organized".You tell me flint, is starbucks well organized, and is it "taking off?"
I couldn't tell you because I haven't discussed specifics with anyone, so I mostly see what everyone else sees... a high publicity campaign in a small number of shops being fought largely through the NLRB.
You know I wouldn't disagree that when organizing a union, you need to work with the existing social networks of all the workers; not just with a self-declared revolutionary minority.
But, seriously, if you want to talk Starbucks organizing... start a different thread; or take over one that already exists. It greatly increases the chances that someone actually involved in it will respond or at least read what your write.
This thread is about organizing telemarketers. Since I actually worked as a telemarketer for a number of years and have thought at lot about it, it's interesting to me. It's also interesting to me how similar the work is, even in a different country. If you want to discuss the Kolinko's book, it might be interesting. I think you'd find a lot to disagree with in it, particularly the author's cynical position on unions (base unions and otherwise). I'd really like to see this contrasted with maybe some folks explaining how the CGT organized call centers and what gains are made. I know CUPE has done some of that as well; and if anyone would be willing to chime in about CWA efforts; that'd be great.
Didn't you have something to do with that in regards to the Prewitt Organizing Fund-WashtechCWA-UFCW in regards to Amazon.Com?
May 7 2007
#18
Flint wrote:
anarcho-bolshevik wrote:
I didn't bring up a specific union, but I did ask for a definition of "well organized".You tell me flint, is starbucks well organized, and is it "taking off?"
I couldn't tell you because I haven't discussed specifics with anyone, so I mostly see what everyone else sees... a high publicity campaign in a small number of shops being fought largely through the NLRB.
You know I wouldn't disagree that when organizing a union, you need to work with the existing social networks of all the workers; not just with a self-declared revolutionary minority.
But, seriously, if you want to talk Starbucks organizing... start a different thread; or take over one that already exists. It greatly increases the chances that someone actually involved in it will respond or at least read what your write.
This thread is about organizing telemarketers. Since I actually worked as a telemarketer for a number of years and have thought at lot about it, it's interesting to me. It's also interesting to me how similar the work is, even in a different country. If you want to discuss the Kolinko's book, it might be interesting. I think you'd find a lot to disagree with in it, particularly the author's cynical position on unions (base unions and otherwise). I'd really like to see this contrasted with maybe some folks explaining how the CGT organized call centers and what gains are made. I know CUPE has done some of that as well; and if anyone would be willing to chime in about CWA efforts; that'd be great.
Didn't you have something to do with that in regards to the Prewitt Organizing Fund-WashtechCWA-UFCW in regards to Amazon.Com?
To be fair to A-B, telemarketing organizing was compared to the Starbucks campaign first.
May 7 2007
#19
thugarchist wrote:
To be fair to A-B, telemarketing organizing was compared to the Starbucks campaign first.
Fine, it's all Gregg's fault. But it takes very little to set A-B off on his favorite (and only) discussion.
May 8 2007
#20
Flint wrote:
thugarchist wrote:
To be fair to A-B, telemarketing organizing was compared to the Starbucks campaign first.Fine, it's all Gregg's fault. But it takes very little to set A-B off on his favorite (and only) discussion.
it's the only direction that matters when it comes to building a working class revolutionary movement.
May 8 2007
#21
thugarchist wrote:
Flint wrote:
thugarchist wrote:
To be fair to A-B, telemarketing organizing was compared to the Starbucks campaign first.Fine, it's all Gregg's fault. But it takes very little to set A-B off on his favorite (and only) discussion.
He also talks about pizza a lot.
Ha! Well A-B and I are well in synch in that regard at least...
May 8 2007
#22
Admin - rubbish from anarcho-bol and thugarchist deleted, cut it out ffs.
For reference, we have a bunch of content related to call centre work here:
http://libcom.org/tags/call-centre
I like creative out of the box thinking on workers organizations, but...
Calls are monitored by supervisors, its necessary to build worker organizations where the workers are, even if you could pull of a massive campaign of everyone to answer their calls with an organizing message it wouldn't have a structure, goals or well... anything that the workers are a part of building.