I Call Center in Marocco: uno studio sulle condizioni di lavoro nel settore

Abstract

Abstract This article examines the main factors behind bad working conditions in the Call Centers of Morocco. The research is based on fieldwork including 15 semi-structured interviews and in the analysis of government records, labour legislation, academic studies, statistics and other reports from international organizations. The interviews were carried out in Arabic and French in 2018 in Casablanca, Rabat, Fès, Meknès and they involved workers, former workers, trade union leaders and employers from the Call Center sector. Thanks to the interviews we are able to assess in detail the issues faced by workers and, consequently, to explore them. The article highlights the fact that the bad working conditions are caused by a combination of multiple factors, such as the effects of neoliberal reforms, the economic dependence on Europe but also the inefficiency of the labour inspections. The first part discusses the broad factors including the telecommunications’ sector reforms, international agreements, legal and tax reforms that exacerbate directly or indirectly the working conditions. The second part aims to investigate the centers organization and other micro-factors that affect the possibility of claiming rights and speaking out against unfair practices.