Whiptail Publishing

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Synopsis

Teleservices: It's the fastest-growing industry in Tucson and among those exploding in North America and around the world. As of 1998, between 6 million and 7 million agents work in some 48,000 call centers based in the United States handling inbound calls for businesses and government agencies. With 16,000 agents then in Tucson, a number that was predicted to double by the year 2003, questions swirl regarding an industry sometimes called the ``sweatshops of the '90s.'' This report takes a look at call centers, then and now. Only by understanding where one has been can one look to the future. Growing Pains: Part One is designed to build a foundation from which one can benchmark the industrys progress. Tucson, a typical call center city, serves as the main case study for this report, but the results translate well into just about any call-center market.This report begins with a call to action from union organizers who saw Tucson teleservices providers fertile ground from which to recruit workers frustrated by what can only be called growing pains.