“Tech contractors are organizing and facing violent threats in the Philippines.”

The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector is one of the Philippines’ largest employers, accounting at least 1.3 million jobs. Its biggest companies, such as Teleperformance and Alorica, serve major U.S. clients, including Amazon, Facebook, AT&T, and Verizon. BIEN [Business Process Outsourcing Industry Employees’ Network]... has been vocal in advocating for secure contracts, fair pay, and safe working conditions during the pandemic.

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The organization has publicly criticized the Department of Labor and Employment for failing to protect BPO workers during the pandemic, and has spoken out against the government’s controversial anti-terrorism law, which activists say threatens human rights in the country...

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Activists said they want big technology companies and others who benefit from the Philippines’ BPO sector to take an interest in the abuses that are going on in their supply chain, and to put pressure on the government to end the attacks on labor organizers...

Rest of World reached out to Amazon, Facebook, AT&T, and Verizon, as well as outsourcing companies Teleperformance and Alorica. None agreed to be interviewed. A representative for the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines referred Rest of World to a joint statement it released last year voicing its opposition to the anti-terror law, and said its stance remains the same.