Abstract
Since 1995, low-wage employment has increased in Germany, and employers have tended to seek “exit options” from regulatory frameworks, in order to save on labour costs. This article reports on studies of six call centres (four from utilities, two from financial services), exploring the respective impact of institutional frameworks (notably collective wage agreements and works councils) on work organization, and pay and working conditions in in-house call centres and external service providers. The wide variations in pay in German call centres are explained, and the repercussions of outsourcing on wages are discussed.