Working People: Maximus call center workers strike in four states
Call center workers employed by Maximus went on strike at four locations\u2014in Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Virginia\u2014this Tuesday, November 1. Maximus is a federal contractor, and during the open enrollment period workers there handle a non-stop stream of high-stakes calls from people trying to navigate the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid systems, but they have been pushed to their limit. As stated in a Twitter thread posted by Call Center Workers United, "We\u2019ve been saying for years: during ACA open enrollment, we\u2019re dealing with constant back-to-back calls. Some frustrated callers become abusive and subject us to racist and sexist slurs. We\u2019re paid wages so low it\u2019s nearly impossible to support a family. We\u2019ve had enough. We\u2019re striking for THREE SIMPLE DEMANDS: 1) $25/hr starting wage, 2) Time to breathe between calls, 3) Meaningful protection from abusive callers." In this urgent mini-cast, we talk to Tiffany Murray, a worker at the Maximus call center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, about the conditions that have pushed her and her coworkers to hit the picket line, and about what others around the country can do to help.
Post-Production: Jules Taylor
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