Call center firm must be held liable for employees’ deaths in NCCC mall fire —labor group

Research Now SSI, the Texas-based call center company which employed the 37 individuals killed in a mall fire in Davao City, must be held liable for the incident, the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) said Tuesday.

“The SSI call center company must also be held liable for the deaths of their employees,” ALU-TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said in an emailed statement.

Fire started at New City Commercial Center (NCCC) started at 9:35 a.m. on Saturday, according to the Davao City Police Office.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte said on Monday the bodies of 36 people trapped in the fire have been found aside from the first body recovered on Sunday.

"If they (Research Now SSI) could have 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," Tanjusay said.

Because of saving on costs, the company's employees paid dearly with their lives, he said.

ALU-TUCP called on the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to remove call centers from malls.

“Call centers as working areas must be removed from malls. Call centers should have their own separate and independent building designed for human beings working on 24-hour work operations,” Tanjusay said.

“Call center employees are not commodities and goods that can be consigned to a warehouse converted as work area” he said.

Research Now SSI said it is coordinating with the families of the fire victims to provide them with assistance.

“The company has arranged for counseling for its employees. In addition, it is helping to support funeral arrangements, and will create a fund for contributions to provide further assistance to the families of those who were lost,” it said in a statement on its website.

The company said details on the fund “will be made available soon.”

“This terrible tragedy has left us with heavy hearts. We offer our condolences and prayers to the families and loved ones of the victims. Words cannot express how saddened we are. We are grateful for the courageous response of the first responders and others who rushed to the scene,” Research Now SSI CEO Gary Laben said.

GMA News Online has contacted the company for additional comments, but has received no reply as of this posting.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate the incident. — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/VDS, GMA News