Elena Lopez, Deputy Legislative Director for the Communication Workers of America, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the offshoring of call center jobs, legislative efforts to protect workers and the challenges unions face in advocating for labor rights.
Lopez highlighted the ongoing issue of call center jobs being moved overseas, where companies can exploit workers with lower wages and fewer protections. She noted that the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a loss of 150,000 U.S. jobs by 2033 due to this trend. This shift not only impacts individual workers but also devastates entire communities that once relied on these jobs. Lopez stressed that despite being highly profitable, many companies choose to offshore jobs to maximize shareholder returns and executive compensation at the expense of American workers.
The CWA is actively working to combat job offshoring through legislative efforts at both the state and federal levels. Lopez mentioned successful initiatives in states such as New York, California and Louisiana, while acknowledging setbacks in others, including Michigan. She emphasized the importance of passing legislation like the PRO Act and the Public Sector Freedom to Negotiate Act to strengthen workers' rights and organizing power. However, Lopez pointed out the significant challenge unions face in competing with corporate lobbying power, as companies can deploy large teams of lobbyists to influence policy decisions.
Looking ahead, Lopez spoke about the need for a long-term strategy that goes beyond opposing harmful policies to proposing worker-centered solutions. She stressed the importance of envisioning and fighting for a future that prioritizes workers' rights and protections. Lopez acknowledged the current political challenges but remained committed to the ongoing fight for labor rights and keeping jobs in the U.S.
Listen to the full episode to gain deeper insights into the challenges facing call center workers and the CWA's efforts to protect American jobs.
America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.
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