Murder of Union Leader Rocks Philippines’ BPO Industry

The murder of call center agent and union leader Alex Dolorosa has sent shockwaves through the BPO industry in the Philippines.

Dolorosa, a legal assistant for the Filipino BPO Industry Employees Network (BIEN), went missing on April 23 and was found dead three days later near a chicken run in Bacolod City. In the months prior to his murder, Dolorsa had relocated frequently after his flat was broken into.

The Philippines is one of the deadliest countries for worker organizers. The Biden administration must address this.

Thank you @janschakowsky and @rosadelauro for your leadership. https://t.co/I9rjgf2lWR

— CWA (@CWAUnion) May 2, 2023

Dolorosa was thrust into the limelight in 2019 when BIEN launched a massive protest campaign demanding an end to overtime in call centers, a major source of jobs and foreign exchange for the Philippines.

Police in Bacolod City are still on the lookout for suspects. Activists in the BPO industry insist that Dolorsa was killed because of his union activities.

Political party Anakbayan condemned Dolorosas’ murder and called on the government to raise the minimum wage for call center workers, saying the current wage is not enough to cover living costs. Anakbayan petitioned the government to raise BPO wages by $10 immediately.

“It is terribly insensitive to underestimate the motive behind this killing,” the network of BPO workers said in a statement. The U.S. also condemned the killing and called for a thorough investigation.