On August 2, an unfair labor practice charge was filed against ZP Better Together alleging the company illegally closed its Minnesota call centers on February 18 following unionization efforts by interpreters there. The Office and Professional Employees International Union, which is organizing VRS interpreters into the ASL Interpreters Union, filed the charge with the National Labor Relations Board.
Despite evidence of previous union-busting in the industry, 83% of respondents of a survey created by the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) respondents support forming a union for VRS interpreters.
“Corporate is out of touch with what we do on the phone calls,” said Micahjane Draeger, a former ZP Better Together employee who was laid off in February and assisted OPEIU in filing the charge. “The few that fight for us get left out of important decisions, such as closing down call centers. Many of them have business degrees and nothing else. They didn’t have to learn the art of ASL/ENG Interpreting. The history of our profession and the history of the Deaf Community. They know how to make money, that’s it.”
Workers had sought out a union as they raised concerns about an arbitration policy that ZP was seeking interpreters to sign. The day they were scheduled to meet with a union, ZP announced plans to close their call center.
ZP Better Together, also known as ZVRS/Purple, is the second-largest VRS firm. The Federal Communications Commission approved a 30 to 49 percent rate hike to VRS firms like ZP Better Together in October of last year. The company is backed by private equity firm Kinderhook Industries, which is in turn backed by a subsidiary of The Carlyle Group, the world’s third-largest private equity firm.