Public urged to be less abusive to call-centre staff over the holidays

Staff at two large B.C. call centres are asking the public to temper their tempers this holiday season.

Christie Slusarenko, vice-president of combined units at the union MoveUp, says statistically there are more abusive callers at this time of year and people need to be more respectful of the person trying to help them on the other end of the line.

"Nobody wants to be spoken rude to or down to and know they have a long shift ahead of them," said Slusarenko,whose union representscall-centre employees atCoast Mountain Bus Company and BCAA.

Slusarenko attributes the spike in bad behaviour includingscreaming, threatsand swearing to stressers such as bad weather, tight schedules and, in Coast Mountain Bus Company's case, more people taking transit to be safe at seasonal parties.

She said some of the abuse this year was also due to potential transit strike shut-downsin Metro Vancouver that were recently averted.

"We felt it was important to bring it up to the public and just remind folks to be a little more gracious at this time of year," Slusarenko said on CBC's The Early Edition Thursday.

Coast Mountain Bus Company call staff can hang up on an abusive caller after one warning. Callers also hear a pre-recorded message asking them to be respectful before speaking to a staff member.

But Slusarenkosaid it can be a real challenge for staff to get that warning across when someone is relentlessly screaming at them.

Her message to anyone who has to connect with call centre staff this Christmas: "Be a little more kind to our folks."