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Takano, 38 other California reps, call on Amtrak to stop union-busting plan in Riverside
They're hoping to leverage their political clout to slow Amtrak's plan to move operations out of state.
Amtrak employees and supporters protest Amtrak's decision to shut down its Riverside call center during a rally outside the City Hall in Riverside on Wednesday, December 12, 2018. Amtrak is working on relocation options for some 550 employees affected by the imminent closure of a Riverside call center.(Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
By Jack Katzanek | jkatzanek@scng.com |
PUBLISHED: December 13, 2018 at 4:54 pm | UPDATED: December 14, 2018 at 9:55 am
Amtrak employees and supporters take the streets to protest Amtrak's decision to shut down its Riverside call center as they marched outside the Hall of Justice in Riverside on Wednesday, December 12, 2018. Amtrak is working on relocation options for some 550 employees affected by the imminent closure of a Riverside call center.(Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Amtrak employees march through Riverside City Hall as they protest Amtrak's decision to shut down its Riverside call center on Wednesday, December 12, 2018. Amtrak is working on relocation options for some 550 employees affected by the imminent closure of a Riverside call center.(Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Jack Dinsdale, national vice president of the Transportation Communications Union, speaks to Amtrak employees as they protest Amtrak's decision to shut down its Riverside call center outside the City Hall in Riverside on Wednesday, December 12, 2018. Amtrak is working on relocation options for some 550 employees affected by the imminent closure of a Riverside call center.(Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Amtrak employees and supporters take the streets to protest Amtrak's decision to shut down its Riverside call center outside the City Hall in Riverside on Wednesday, December 12, 2018. Amtrak is working on relocation options for some 550 employees affected by the imminent closure of a Riverside call center.(Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Jeri McGee, of Hemet, an 11-year veteran at the Amtrak's call center in Riverside, gets emotional during a rally to protest Amtrak's decision to shut down its Riverside call center outside the City Hall in Riverside on Wednesday, December 12, 2018. Amtrak is working on relocation options for some 550 employees affected by the imminent closure of a Riverside call center.(Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Amtrak will soon close the reservations call center on Lindbergh Drive in the near future in Riverside on Friday, December 7, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
A letter sent to the head of Amtrak – now signed by 39 members of California's congressional delegation – strongly rebukes the rail service's "union-busting" plan to close its Riverside call center and send work to a third-party provider in Florida.
"Amtrak is unlike any other American corporation in that it is majority owned by the federal government and receives billions of American tax dollars to subsidize their service," the letter reads. "And though we agree with Congress' mandate that Amtrak should and must endeavor to deliver services more efficiently, that does not give Amtrak license to engage in union-busting and union-avoidance maneuvers to lower costs on the backs of working men and women."
The letter, first discussed Wednesday at a rally staged by the union that represents Riverside's Amtrak workers, asked why the government-funded corporation is planning to outsource some of its customer-service work to a contractor that pays considerably less than what Amtrak's Riverside workers make.
Amtrak cited a decline in calls when it announced a month ago it would close the Riverside facility, which employs some 550 workers, effective Jan. 18. The company has offered to relocate workers to its other call center in Philadelphia.
However, Amtrak has lined up a contractor, Teleperformance Inc., to handle heavy volume periods from a call center in Port St. Lucie, Fla., and asked the firm to hire 150 workers.
"This move flies in the face of your Nov. 14 announcement to employees that cited an alleged reduction in calls as a principle reason for your decision to outsource this work," the letter reads. "But if that were true, Amtrak would not require the contractor to hire additional workers."
Teleperformance was founded in France 40 years ago and operates call centers across the U.S. and in numerous countries. According to two websites that list job openings, the company pays between $11 and $12.50 per hour for customer-service personnel. The representatives' letter indicates the Teleperformance provides no employee benefits.
Amtrak workers in Riverside, who are union members, start at $15 per hour and can earn as much as $28.
Amtrak spokesperson Olivia Irvin declined to comment on the wage disparity, stating in an email that the rail service doesn't set wages for outsourced workers.
The letter, addressed to Richard Anderson, Amtrak CEO and president, was authored by Rep. Mark Takano, who recruited the other 38 California members of Congress to sign the letter with him. All but one of the signers, Rep. Paul Cook, R-Apple Valley, are Democrats.
Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, wrote his own letter to Anderson dated Monday that also strongly criticized Amtrak's move, especially the timing. The closure will give workers a relatively short timeframe to decide if they want to move across the country for a job in Philadelphia. Calvert requested the closure date be moved to July 2019.
"Mr. Calvert has been very interested in this, and he did represent the Riverside area," Takano said in an interview. "I'm glad he could make this a bipartisan effort."
Takano said he plans to sit down with Congress' ranking Republican, California Rep. Kevin McCarthy, to discuss options. He pointed out that, come January, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives could change the process in 2019.
He has already spoken with Rep. David Price, D-N.C., who will chair the committee that controls Amtrak's budget next year. In his letter, Takano points out that Amtrak receives "billions of American tax dollars" to subsidize their service, and he said Price is committed to helping the Riverside workers. In 2017, President Trump slashed $630 million in transportation subsidies for Amtrak's long-distance routes.
"I can't say I know at this moment what the solution is, and I wanted to let Richard Anderson know that Congress is watching," Takano said. "But we're asking that this decision be reversed. We don't want it to close."
The letter also pointed out that Amtrak operates profitable rail lines in California, in part funded by the state. "As members of California's delegation to Congress, we would be hard-pressed to view this decision as anything but hostile to the interests of our state," the letter said.
Jack Dinsdale, national vice president of the Transportation Communications Union, said he will continue to try and get federal, state and local officials involved, adding that an aide to a local California State Assemblymember discussed ways to get attention at a recent union gathering.
"We've got some pretty good pressure being applied right now," Dinsdale said. "And I'll keep calling names."
Read the full text of Takano's letter
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