LanguageLine interpreters unionization push backed by lawmakers

When a patient walks into a New York City hospital and doesn't speak English, or when a resident calls 911 in a language other than English, it falls to a LanguageLine Solutions interpreter to bridge the gap. Many of these interpreters are now calling for their company to respect their right to unionize, and they have found empathetic ears inside the City Council

The Communications Workers of America, which is supporting the organizing effort, and city lawmakers are escalating pressure on LanguageLine Solutions and its parent company, Teleperformance, as interpreters seeking to unionize point to new data revealing low pay, high stress and deteriorating service conditions.

At a press conference on the steps of City Hall on April 16, council members joined Comptroller Mark Levine and LanguageLine interpreters to call on the company to recognize workers’ organizing rights and address workplace concerns. Officials also highlighted the formation of a worker-led health and safety committee, which interpreters say is intended to formalize discussions with management over conditions affecting their work.

“As interpreters, we are the voice of New Yorkers in their most important moments — in hospitals and courtrooms, accessing city services, financial services, or even calling 911,” said Yuliia Moshkova, a Russian interpreter at LanguageLine. “Our working conditions are New Yorkers’ service conditions.”

LanguageLine Solutions provides telephonic interpretation for more than 30,000 clients worldwide, including New York City agencies with more than $19 million in active contracts. Its interpreters help ensure language access for roughly 1.79 million New Yorkers with limited English proficiency, facilitating communication in hospitals, courts and across city services.

LanguageLine did not respond to a request for comment. 

'Fighting for a union to improve conditions'

It is a subsidiary of Teleperformance, a French multinational that is a signatory to the Teleperformance-UNI Global Agreement on Social Responsibility, which guarantees workers the right to organize free from management interference and includes provisions for elected worker representatives on health and safety committees. Worker advocates say that while the agreement has been implemented in other countries, it has not been fully applied in the United States.

But a new survey conducted by the CWA underscores the extent to which workers say those services are under strain. According to the survey, interpreters earn an average of $20.19 per hour, with 87 percent reporting they struggle to make ends meet and rely on family, friends or public assistance. Ninety percent said they do not believe they are compensated fairly.

Leaders of CWA said the findings reflect systemic issues that threaten both workers and the public. “These interpreters are fighting for a union to improve conditions not only for themselves, but for everyone who depends on them,” said Billy Gallagher, an assistant to the vice president of CWA District 1.

The report also points to workplace policies that workers say directly affect service quality. Eighty-three percent of respondents said strict “adherence” metrics — which require interpreters to move from call to call with little downtime — negatively impact their ability to interpret effectively. Nearly 80 percent said they do not have enough time between calls, while 62 percent reported feeling emotionally drained at least a few times a week.

Workers described a system that prioritizes call volume over accuracy and wellbeing. “There’s no break between the calls,” one interpreter with two years’ tenure said in the report. “After telling a [client] their child passed away… LLS should provide us a few minutes to recover.”

Fifty-seven percent of respondents said they do not receive adequate training for all aspects of the job, and majorities reported being asked to interpret medical or legal conversations without sufficient preparation — raising concerns about errors in high-stakes situations.

Ratcheting up pressure

The City Council has previously raised these issues with Teleperformance leadership in a formal letter sent alongside former Comptroller Brad Lander. At Thursday’s press conference, lawmakers signaled they are prepared to escalate pressure if the company does not engage.

Council Member Julie Won, who chairs the Committee on Workforce Development, articulated the issue as both a labor and public service concern. “The City has allocated millions to interpretation services,” she said. “There is no other choice but to listen to these workers and support their right to organize.”

Levine echoed that point, emphasizing the broader implications for service delivery. “Many New Yorkers rely on LanguageLine interpreters to access essential services,” he said. “They deserve better pay and working conditions to carry out this vital work.”

The survey also highlights instability in scheduling and high turnover. More than half of respondents had worked at LanguageLine for two years or less, and 74 percent said they expect to look for a new job within the next year. Workers cited fluctuating hours, pay practices — including unpaid time due to technical issues — and a noncompete policy that limits outside employment as contributing factors.

“I feel the instability of our employment creates incredible stress,” one interpreter with four years’ tenure said in the report. “We want to provide the best service to our community, but I don’t feel appreciated.”