ASL Interpreters Union holds press conference in front of FCC building
ASL Interpreters Union holds press conference in front of FCC building
Instagram video of press conference link: https://www.instagram.com/p/DGihxKyMTwj/
This morning, the ASL Interpreters Union-OPEIU and Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) held a press conference in front of the FCC building in Washington, D.C. It was live-streamed on Instagram and I watched it. I will show you some clips but if you want to watch the entire thing, I’ve put a link in the description.
The ASL Interpreters Union said in a press release that they’re trying to “address the significant decline of service quality in VRS…” One of the union’s leaders, Meg Huseman, said “private equity owners have pillaged VRS, extracting enormous profits while users suffer…” She also said, “…VRS companies and their backers (need to) respect interpreters and the communities they serve.” Here is a clip of Huseman giving a speech this morning.
(Clip of Huseman describing conditions that she’s had to endure, such as interpreting in a shift for a bank, a mechanic shop, a parent-teacher conference, and a traumatic 911 call. She says she’s expected to jump in the next call without assessing her state of mind.)
Rep. Casar spoke at the conference.
(Clip of Rep. Casar talking on how in D.C., there are a small number of billionaires and their lobbyists that when they see a service for the American people, they don’t see the people it helps but they see a piggy bank that they can loot for themselves. He said this union is made up of people who are saying, “We’re not your guinea pig or your piggy bank.”)
Earlier, he wrote a letter to FCC Commissioners Ana Gomez and Geoffrey Starks on Jan. 21 asking the FCC to host two town hall meetings, one for VRS users and another for interpreters. The lawmaker said he wants to see “tangible action items that will ensure the over $600 million annually spent on VRS is used appropriately.”
At the press conference, Rep. Casar said the FCC town halls will be happening in the near future. He also said he is focusing on Sorenson and ZP as the two biggest VRS businesses.
The ASL Interpreters Union said it is organizing VRS interpreters at Sorenson Communications and ZP Better Together.
Dr. Derek Braun, a Gallaudet professor and an AAUP union member who has fought for better pay for Gallaudet faculty, appeared at the press conference and said executives only see the front of a spreadsheet and they need to be better with being communicative with employees.
A ZP interpreter, Felix Reyes, also gave remarks saying he loves being an interpreter but feels burned out because companies cause interpreters to be fatigued.
I reached out to Sorenson and ZP Better Together to see what their reaction is to the press conference. I did not get an immediate response from ZP, but Sorenson had a response with an ASL message from their Chief Relationship Officer Wendy Adams.
Wendy Adams: Hi Alex:
Thank you for reaching out to us.
Sorenson is working to remain free of third-party representation. We believe this type of representation will not improve the direct relationship we now have with our Interpreters, which is something that we have cherished and nurtured for many years. At Sorenson, we have made significant investments in our Interpreters, not because of organizing efforts, but because we invest in our employees and recognize that Interpreters are critically important for the Deaf community we serve.
Please allow me to correct some inaccuracies that were reported in the press conference:
It is not true that Sorenson only allows 5 seconds between interpreting calls. We have a mandatory minimum of 15 seconds between each call.
There are 5 VRS companies in the marketplace, not 2.
A few of the investments Sorenson has made in our Interpreters that underscore the importance we place on their well-being include:
Interpreters have received 8 pay increases in 2 years – this is unprecedented in the industry.
We have invested heavily in our Interpreter wellness program covering physical and mental health services. Examples include massage and spa treatments, gym membership reimbursements, reimbursements for ergonomically beneficial interpreting chairs and other such services.
We have made significant investments to upgrade our Interpreter-specific EAP resources that includes vicarious trauma counseling resources.
We offer some of the best and most comprehensive interpreter professional development and training programs in the industry. Additionally, we offer tuition reimbursement programs that allow Interpreters to specialize their own professional development with programs that are not needed in-house. In 2024 alone, we invested over 30,000 hours for Interpreter’s professional development instruction, and over 4000 interpreters participated.
Our Interpreters have flexible hours and create their own schedules.
Sorenson also is focused on listening to our Interpreters. To ensure that we are attentive, for years we have held monthly Interpreter Connection calls to which any Interpreter can sign up to attend so we hear their concerns and address their issues.
Sorenson will continue to focus on the mental, physical and financial well-being of our Interpreters, again, not because of unionization efforts underway, but because we value and invest in our employees.
Alex: Thank you, Wendy, for providing a response. That’s all that I have to share for now. There is certainly more to come with the FCC town halls happening in the near future.
Instagram video of press conference link: https://www.instagram.com/p/DGihxKyMTwj/