Taking a Stand for Good Customer Service Jobs

CWA members are taking action this week across the country, calling on Congress to do what it takes to keep good jobs in the U.S.

In more than 60 locations, CWA customer service workers and allies are holding rallies, meeting with members of Congress who are home over recess, and signing petitions in support of the U.S. Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act, bipartisan legislation to keep good jobs in the U.S.

District 7 Vice President Brenda Roberts is leading CWA's customer service program. "CWA members are excited about the mobilization because it enables thousands of us to get directly involved in the fight to keep good jobs in the U.S.," she said. Next steps include delivery of the tens of thousands of signatures to members of Congress and town halls that spotlight the impact of offshoring on workers, families and communities, she said.

The legislation, H.R.1300  and S.515, requires that U.S. callers be told the location of the call center to which they are speaking; offers callers the opportunity to be connected to a U.S.-based center if preferred; and makes U.S. companies who off-shore their call center jobs from the U.S. ineligible for certain federal grants and taxpayer-funded loans.

The Senate bill was introduced by Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), with Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) as original co-sponsors. The House bill was introduced by Rep. David McKinley (R-WVA) and Rep. Gene Green (D-TX). 

Among the highlights:

• Rep. McKinley, a principal sponsor of the House bill, joined CWA members at a news conference in Triadelphia, W Va., calling on Congress to stand up against the offshoring of American call center jobs, which has hurt customer service and harmed U.S. workers and communities.
  
  His Democratic counterpart, Rep. Gene Green is holding a news conference in Houston with members of CWA Local 6222 on Friday, April, 21.
   
• In Pittsburgh, CWAers rallied outside the Verizon Mega Center, joined by staff from Senator Casey’s office and other supporters.  
   
• So far, CWAers collected more than 26,000 petition signatures at events in 28 states.

CWA recently issued a report that examines how the trend of shipping call center jobs off-shore harms American workers, communities, and consumers, and highlights numerous examples of scams and practices at some overseas call centers that are harmful to the security of U.S. consumers' sensitive information.

At events nationwide, CWAers pushed for legislation to keep good call center jobs in the U.S. From top left: Members of Local 13500, Pittsburgh; Local 6016, Oklahoma City, OK; Rep. Dave McKinley, center, with members of Local 2006, Triadelphia, WVA; Local 6507, Little Rock, AR, and Local 7200, Bloomington, MN.