Telecom unions push for ‘Press One For America’ bill

Members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) will join members of the House and Senate this week to call for the passage of legislation giving people the option of using U.S.-based call centers.

The CWA supports the United States Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act, which has already been offered in the House and Senate.

{mosads}The group is calling that bill the “Press One For America” call center bill, as it would require call centers to identify where they are located. If the caller requests it, overseas call centers would have to forward calls to a center based in the United States.

On Wednesday afternoon, members of the CWA will hold a press conference with Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), and Reps. David McKinley (R-W.Va.) and Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.) to formally introduce the bill.

The bill is meant to reduce the outsourcing of call center jobs to India and other countries. On Wednesday, CWA members from an outsourced call center in Texas will join members of Congress, along with an “insured” call center in North Carolina.

The CWA says it represents 700,000 union workers in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.

Bishop introduced his bipartisan call center bill, H.R. 2909, in August. Sen. Casey offered his bill, S. 1565, in September.