Here's another interesting appeal that's come over the Ramen Noodle Nation email transom. This latest AFL-CIO email serves as yet another reminder, if we really need one, that companies shouldn't be allowed to run the table, and subjugate workers to whatever cheap 'n' nasty thing they want to impose on them.
Still, it's fair to say that when we think of workers who need unions, most people probably wouldn't place interpreters anywhere on that list. We typically associate that need with the "bread 'n' butter jobs," as I call them -- from cops and construction workers, to firefighters and food inspectors, plumbers and prison guards, waitresses and weekend baristas, whose stresses and pressures seem more visible, and thus, more obviously relatable.
Guess what? Interpreters have their own unique issues, too, as the CWA press release (see link below) enumerates, rattling off the usual sins -- long hours, low pay, lack of training -- with being forced to take back-to-back calls topping their grievances. Suffice to say, every job has its own particular peaks and valleys, that nobody bothers to think about -- until they need those services, and whoever's providing the has to step up. Interpreters are no different.
So, with that being said, here's a letter from one interpreter, outlining why they want to form a union, and how you can help them reach their goal:
"My name is Sara, and I work as an interpreter at LanguageLine Solutions. I'm also a Communications Workers of America (CWA) retiree who remains active in the union, which is one of the AFL-CIO’s 64 national labor unions. At LanguageLine, my co-workers and I work for hospitals, courtrooms, banks and schools across the United States, providing interpretation services in critical situations that impact people’s health care, legal rights, insurance and finances.
"It’s a stressful job, but we love helping our communities. We are joining together for a union with CWA because we face unfair and unstable working conditions. Our hours are cut without notice, we aren’t paid a living wage and many of us are forced to take back-to-back calls without breaks. Not only do these conditions hurt us, but they also degrade the quality of interpretation services relied upon by millions of people across the country.
'As a CWA retiree, I know firsthand what it means to have a union contract that protects me and my co-workers. A union gives us a voice at work and the power to fight for a better future for ourselves and our communities.
"Also, follow us on Instagram to hear more of our stories and help amplify our fight.
"Access to interpretation and translation services is a civil right in the United States, and is rooted in the principle that language barriers should not lead to discrimination or prevent people from accessing essential programs and services.
"Sign Our Petition:
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/tell-languageline-solutions-to-respect-interpreters-voices/?source=aflcio&link_id=6&can_id=4e6c8046819e1ba183f676fa03eddc7a&email_referrer=email_2986652&email_subject=help-me-and-fellow-interpreters-join-a-union&
"Our work is essential, and our rights must be respected.
"Thank you so much for your support!
"In unity,
"Sara Ramirez
LanguageLine Interpreter and CWA Retiree."
So there you have it. At 9.9%, American levels of unionism have never been lower, and adding interpreters to the countless millions of others going without those rights and protections can only be a net benefit, right? Conversely, perceptions of unionism have never been more positive (roughly 70%, according to a September 2024 Gallup poll).
It's a feeling undoubtedly goosed by rampant levels of inequality, not to mention the endless bullying, double-dealing and mind game playing of employers in general, such as the imposition of "return to work" policies, for example. How sad it is that we have to fall this far to appreciate what we've lost, but it's par for the course -- like the Cinderella song says, "You Don't Know What You've Got (Till It's Gone)." Funny how that works, isn't it? --The Reckoner
Links To Go (Step Right Up,
Sign The Petition, Secure The Future):
Communications Workers of America
Interpreters Expose LanguageLine Solutions...:
https://cwa-union.org/news/releases/interpreters-expose-languageline-solutions-undermining-service-quality-low-wages-and
Reddit: When Are Interpreters Going To Unionize?
https://www.reddit.com/r/ASLinterpreters/comments/1423lyc/when_are_interpreters_going_to_unionize/
[Interesting thread, focused on the deaf community, but one that raises some varied and insightful perspectives]
The Rochester Beacon
VRS Interpreters Need Union Representation:
https://rochesterbeacon.com/2025/09/10/vrs-interpreters-need-union-representation/
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