Rose Long, Director Bridging the Gap Interpreter Training Cross Cultural Health Care Program IMIA Annual Conference, Boston, MA Saturday, September

Transcription

1 Rose Long, Director Bridging the Gap Interpreter Training Cross Cultural Health Care Program IMIA Annual Conference, Boston, MA Saturday, September 4, 2010

2 Describe background of Interpreters United Describe timeline and milestones Discuss lessons learned Next steps

3 Governor of WA State proposed budget cut $16 million in state funds for DSHS interpreter appointments to be cut

4 240,000 DSHS appointments without interpretation per year 923 DSHS appointments per day Providers to drop Medicaid patients or face legal action More than 1,000 interpreters affected

5 Excessive administrative costs Low pay for interpreters and Unfair rules for providers, patients and interpreters

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7 DSHS pays $59 for the average interpreter appointment of 1.3 hours, yet interpreters receive only $27.30 (or $21.50 per hour): $8 for brokers (13%) $16.90 for foreign language agencies (29%) $27.30 for DSHS Interpreters (46%) $7.00 for mileage expenses (12%) (42% goes to administrative costs)

8 A group of DSHS certified and screened interpreters banded together to do something to reinstate the budget Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) Union provided assistance in organizing and with meetings all over the State of Washington

9 At least 13 across the State Plus phone marathons Door to door campaigns

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11 From December 2009 to March 2010

12 Professional pay Respect Fair rules Bargaining rights Continuing education requirement

13 Bill Passes in Senate and House of WA State Legislature

14 Create a stakeholder workgroup who will review the broker system; administrative costs current pay levels for interpreters Allow DSHS interpreters to form a union as independent contractors to negotiate with the State for higher pay, fair work rules and respect tfor the profession

15 Governor Chris Gregoire signed INTERPRETERS BILL giving interpreters in the State of Washington the RIGHT to form a COLLECTIVE BARGANING UNION

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17 Act making the governor the public employer of interpreters for DSHS appointments As stipulated, this BARGAINING UNIT (union) includes EXCLUSIVELY any ACTIVE INTERPRETER providing services to MEDICAID-DSHS Program Participants Active Interpreter is defined as ANY interpreter who has accepted at LEAST ONE (1) MEDICAID- DSHS assignment from JANUARY 1, 2009 until June 10, 2010.

18 Just prior to signing the bill into law, the Governor vetoed the stakeholder group portion of the bill Announced that Governor s office will hear directly from interpreters

19 Delivered cards signed by an overwhelming majority of interpreters After verifying i majority, the Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) to schedule a mail-inin ballot election

20 More than 200 interpreters attended from all over the state Attended by the Governors office, DSHS and policy makers

21 View Interpreter forum slideshow here /show/ /

22 PERC announced the plan for union election Ballots mailed to interpreter homes on August 19 Ballots due back September 16 Vote count on September 17

23 Delivered all interpreter comment cards and copies of all interpreter testimonies at the Aug 4 th meeting

24 DSHS hosted second stakeholder meeting In attendance were: Brokers Language Agencies Interpreters Employers of MI, i.e., hospitals

25 Depends on source of interpreter py, pay, i.e., DSHS Language Services Active interpreter has done at least one appointment since Jan 1, 2009 until June 1, 2010

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27 Interpreter votes will be counted If majority vote YES, the UNION is established Washington State is required by law to negotiate with interpreters for minimum standards

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29 United interpreters across the state Independent contractors vs. employees Clarified commonality of interpreter issues

30 Informal leadership of committed interpreters Variety of Supporters: Former DSHS S interpreters L&I interpreters Court interpreters

31 Many of the ballots challenged by DSHS Marked "challenged and may not be counted without a fight

32 Washington State affiliate of AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE)

33 Telephone Website interpretersunited.wfse.org Blog interpretersunited.blogspot.com Washington Federation of State Employees 1212 Jefferson Street SE #300, Olympia, WA

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