Voters say bring back call center jobs

[umbertino]

by: Mark Gruenberg

August 17 2012

WASHINGTON - Citing overwhelming popular and bipartisan support, the Communications Workers are launching an advertising and ground game campaign in 50 legislative races nationwide around the issues of offshore call centers and bringing the jobs back to the United States.

"The issue has real salience, and officials should be paying attention to it," said CWA Chief of Staff Ron Collins in a telephone press conference on Aug. 14.

"The call center industry is three percent of the entire [u.S.] workforce, but because of offshoring, it lost 500,000 jobs from 2006 to 2010.

"The debate about sending good jobs overseas is more than just politics. The question is does it help our economy or not?" he added.

The survey of 805 likely voters, commissioned by CWA, showed that, by a 78-13 percent margin, voters have a negative view of foreign call centers, pollster Celinda Lake reported. Even Republicans oppose such call centers, by 75-14 percent. Feelings are so high that Lake compared them to overwhelming support for raising the minimum wage.

"The intensity of this one is off the charts" to the point where voters consider opposition to offshoring not just an issue but a fundamental value, she said.

"Voters strongly and broadly support a variety of proposals in response to the offshoring of call center jobs, including ending tax breaks, grants, and loans to companies that offshore jobs, and another proposal that would give consumers the right to be transferred to a customer service agent in the United States," the survey adds.

CWA will launch a two-pronged ad campaign. One set of ads will praise the bipartisan group of lawmakers, led by Reps. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Tim Bishop, D-N.Y., and David McKinley, R-W. Va. who authored legislation to curb the offshoring and return call center jobs to the U.S.

The other set of ads will demand that other lawmakers support bringing the call center jobs back - carrying the implication that voters would remember those who don't.

"In addition to the media campaign, we'll have our local political action committees in 900 locals" publicize the call center issue, and put it on the lawmakers' radar for the November election, Collins said.

"We also have many many members who have been laid off" from call centers when firms closed those facilities and moved them to low-wage nations overseas, he added. "We'll get those folks involved, too."

http://www.peoplesworld.org/voters-say-bring-back-call-center-jobs/

[tellmewhen]

OK I'll give you this one they should have the call centers in america HOWEVER neither one of us is eligible for the job all of the calls I make to any call center seems exclusivly BLACK and they are rude and unhelpful

[cris]

Lmao....You finally found one that I mostly agree with Umbertino

[DiveDeepSix]

Agree with this one too Umbertino. Being in sales the DO NOT CALL LIST destroyed most businesses in my field by taking away our ability to talk to about 70% of the people, yet it's OK for politicians and such to call you as many times as they want regardless, what a double standard. SOOO Now we go door to door!!!

[wpsmit]

CWA will launch a two-pronged ad campaign. One set of ads will praise the bipartisan group of lawmakers, led by Reps. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Tim Bishop, D-N.Y., and David McKinley, R-W. Va. who authored legislation to curb the offshoring and return call center jobs to the U.S.

The other set of ads will demand that other lawmakers support bringing the call center jobs back - carrying the implication that voters would remember those who don't.

Ahh, my friend from across the ocean, you finally posted something (other than your wonderful music posts) for which I could with a clear conscience give you a +.

Now for the ad that the CWA won't put out -

If successful in bringing these jobs back the people who fill them will have to be card carrying CWA members. We will also be striking when our contract is up and we will push to get these call center

engineers $45.00 per hour and they will also get guaranteed BarryCare proof health insurance!

[cris]

Ahh, my friend from across the ocean, you finally posted something (other than your wonderful music posts) for which I could with a clear conscience give you a +.

Now for the ad that the CWA won't put out -

If successful in bringing these jobs back the people who fill them will have to be card carrying CWA members. We will also be striking when our contract is up and we will push to get these call center

engineers $45.00 per hour and they will also get guaranteed BarryCare proof health insurance!

Thats exactly what I meant when I said, mostly agree with.

Why should Americans be discriminated against, by the Unions?

[Goldiegirl]

What, you want the call center person that calls you 3 times in one week for duct cleaning to speak English???

[simple]

This mostly effects our young people going through college. These types of jobs have flexible hours and no benefits. I would like to see these jobs available again.

Here's the catch:

Companies offshore these lower, unskilled jobs for .40 per hour instead of minimum wage, therefore saving the company thousand/millions. They argue that it helps them to stay competitive by paying their skilled workers competitive rates and benefits. They also argue that it financially strengtens their company and protects a higher number of skilled jobs from layoffs.

I don't think the government will force these rules but instead apply the proper tax codes.