Co-Worker Dies At Desk But Bosses Tells Staff To Carry On Working
Bosses at a giant Madrid call centre who ordered staff to keep working after a colleague dropped dead at her desk are facing a furious backlash in Spain.
Horrified workers at the Konecta complex had to hold the woman’s body in her chair to stop her from falling to the ground.
But their bosses – reported local media – ordered them to keep working saying: “We provide an essential service.”
Union bosses later described the scene on 13th June as “like a B-series horror movie”.
Konecta provides phone services for clients all around from its vast telecom complexes in Madrid.
The incident took place at the San Romualdo office in the San Blas district which has some 70 cubicules for telemarketing staff.
But when one worker – named only as Inmaculada in local media – died suddenly at her desk staff were told to ignore her.
One shocked colleague told local media: “A person had to hold her so she would not fall from her chair.”
Furious workers immediately called in trade union experts and one worker told them: “Now she’s lying on the floor and we’re taking calls. They tell us to keep taking them.”
The General Confederation of Labour of the Federal Telemarketing Sector (CGT) said in a statement on social media: “We express our rejection of those responsible at Konecta for such behaviour.
“They have failed humanity, empathy and respect in abundance.”
The union published a transcript of a phone call between a horrified workmate and the union.
The worker started: “She’s lying on the floor and we’re taking calls.’
Then the union worker asked: “You are answering calls?”
The worker replied: “Yes, they tell us to continue taking calls. They said we were an essential service. And life? Is there something more essential than life?”
Union bosses have called on Konecta to meet and discuss the allegation.
On its website, Konecta says: “We connect companies, we connect people, we connect with you.
“We partner with clients to deliver outstanding customer experience.”
It adds: “We combine talent, innovation and industry expertise, supporting our clients in engaging with their customers, building loyalty and maximising value with a strong commitment to the environment and society.
“We are an international company that provides customer experience services worldwide.
“With more than 200 sites in 24 countries on three continents and around 130,000 people speaking more than 30 languages, we adapt to each country, culture and time zone.”
The cause of death of the employee is unclear and there it is not known whether an autopsy has been carried out.
Municipal Police have not said whether Konecta is facing an investigation into the death.