You may have received an email from Language Line Solutions informing you that they are no longer going to pay 3 hour minimum bookings, phasing in a reduction to 2 hour bookings over the next 6 months. This has naturally caused concern among interpreters working under the contracts they hold, and this weakening of our terms and conditions is worrying. In response, NUBSLI has written to Language Line Services; you can read our letter below.
It is likely that this erosion of our working terms and conditions will continue; it is therefore vital that interpreters work together to protect the future of our profession.
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Dear Language Line Solutions,
We, the National Union of British Sign Language Interpreters (NUBSLI), are writing in response to recent correspondence sent out to our members. In this, you explained that Language Line will be moving from 3 hour bookings to 2 hour bookings, citing the introduction of framework agreements as the reason for this.
We have conducted two surveys which have highlighted the intention of BSL/English interpreters to leave the profession or diversify their income: An Uncertain Future: Findings from a profession exit survey of British Sign Language/English interpreters, which can be read here and Survey of British Sign Language interpreters’ working conditions (2015), which can be read here. We are concerned that your recent email confirms the profession’s fear of the framework agreements being brought in: that these could be used to erode interpreters’ terms, conditions and rates of pay.
During the numerous discussions that we have had with the CCS about how 2 hour minimums are unsustainable for our profession, the CCS reassured us that those bidding for contracts would need to ensure they could meet market rates. We will be contacting the CCS to express our concerns, as it would appear that the bid submitted by Language Line must have been too low to meet the market rates for BSL/English interpreters.
Our members feel let down and disappointed by your decision, given the positive relationship and goodwill that has previously existed, and will be considering options available to them, including a market exit.
We hope you will reconsider your position.
Yours sincerely,
NUBSLI Committee.
