CapTel Workers Union interviewed Tamara, a current CapTel worker and one of the founding members of the organizing committee.

Tamara giving a speech at a CWU picket

CWU: If you could change one thing at CapTel with a magic wand, what would it be? Why?

If I was going to change one thing at CapTel I would put the people in the front office on phones for a minimum of four hours during peak times every week. They are salaried, they are supposed to be on the clock 365 24/7, and as things stand they just don’t get it. They don’t understand what they put us through. They write draconian policies and treat us like we’re dirt and nothing but numbers. It is pretty ridiculous and really insulting and adds to the lack of compassion and dignity that a job really should have.

CWU: Do you have a CapTel horror story?

I think the worst thing that ever happened to me at CapTel was I called for an end of shift CTO and it was at a point where there were literally no agents available but there was a gaggle of supervisors sitting a few feet behind me, like five of them, just talking about their weekend plans and they just completely and utterly ignored me. I ended up having to stay on the call and I missed my ride home on account of it.

CWU: Why do you believe CapTel needs a union?

CapTel needs a union in no small part because there’s such a huge disconnect between the policy makers and the policy keepers and somebody has got to put the people who write these policies back on their toes and ideally switch the balance of power. The admin staff (and when I am talking about admin I am talking about HR and accounting and things of that nature) they have no idea what the job really entails. They should be held to the same standards that we are instead of overlording us like irresponsible gods.