Bargaining rights for Interpreters critical to money saving reform

Giving DSHS interpreters union rights and cutting the “Byzantine” system of “middlemen and gatekeepers” that chokes off their pay will save the state money and better serve clients.

That’s what interpreters who are working with the Federation on HB 3062 told the House Commerce and Labor Committee Tuesday.

The interpreters help Medicaid clients who can’t speak English understand medical procedures. But the governor wants to cut the $16 million program to save $4 million in state funds, but forfeit $12 million in federal monies.

The interpreter system is also shackled by a trickle-down system where the state uses 13 private brokers, who then contract with separate agencies who in turn then contract with the interpreters providing the direct service. Fully $8 million is lost on those middlemen.

“Because of the brokerage system, (interpreters’) wages have gone down,” the Federation’s Dennis Eagle told the committee. “Interpreters are leaving the field.”

HB 3062 would end that system, set up a special work group to improve interpretive services and grant the interpreters collective bargaining rights to have an ongoing voice in maintaining quality services.

“We want collective bargaining rights not because we want the state to spend more -- we want DSHS to spend less for more,” interpreter Narscisa Hodges said. “Cut administrative costs, restore professional pay and fairness … and improve the quality of the system. This will save the state money.”

“HB 3062 will provide a vehicle for improving this program, saving money and establishing a stable labor pool over time,” said another interpreter, Cindy Roat.

“In this day and age, we can’t afford the luxury of spending half our program dollars on middlemen and gatekeepers…,” Eagle said. “It doesn’t make sense and we can’t afford that model anymore.”